Guzheng virtuoso inspires global audience

Peng Jingxuan plays the traditional Chinese instrument guzheng in Paris, France. Photo: Courtesy of Peng Jingxuan

Under the Eiffel Tower, beside the Arc de Triomphe, along the bustling streets of Bordeaux, and in the streets of Cannes and Barcelona, it can be caught sight of a young Chinese woman dressed in traditional hanfu attire, plucking the strings of a guzheng (a classical Chinese zither), attracting audiences from around the globe with her melodies.

Peng Jingxuan, the performer, is a 27-year-old student studying the harp at the ENM de Villeurbanne in France. Her performances combining classical elegance and contemporary innovation blend the sounds of the guzheng with genres ranging from rock and opera to rap and jazz. Her repertoire includes international pieces like the "Croatian Rhapsody" and "See You Again," and Chinese classics such as "The Bund."

Peng's street performances often draw local street artists to join her impromptu sessions, with French children eagerly attempting to play guzheng alongside her. Spectators sway to the music, some capturing the moment on their cell phones while others simply take in the auditory feast.

Since uploading her performance videos to online platforms in 2018, Peng gradually gained more fans from the internet. Currently, she has about around 950,000 followers on YouTube and more than 10 million followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

"For me, music knows no boundaries," Peng told the Global Times. "I take pride in spreading Chinese traditional culture through music, and it's a responsibility I gladly embrace."

Peng Jingxuan shows foreigners how to play the traditional Chinese instrument guzheng in Paris, France. Photo: Courtesy of Peng Jingxuan

Out of love

Peng's guzheng journey began at the age of 7. Now, nearly two decades later, her passion for the traditional instrument remains as strong as ever. 

Peng said that initially, her street performances were merely a way to bolster her confidence and share the allure of Chinese musical instruments.

"In places where French street artists often perform, I share my music, share what I've learned, and showcase the charm of guzheng," she said. "This not only helps me improve myself but has also created an unforgettable experience during my studies abroad."

According to Peng, after listening, many foreign fans asked her about how to purchase and play guzheng.

During her performances, Peng would carefully select Chinese-style songs, often using the pentatonic scale of Chinese classical music, which she believes creates a picturesque and unique ambiance distinct from other musical genres. Peng also utilizes traditional Chinese instruments such as pipa, erhu, and bamboo flute as accompaniments.

Peng told the Global Times that she noted that audiences tend to prefer songs with stronger Chinese characteristics, such as "Horse Racing" and Jay Chou's "Blue and White Porcelain." A French woman told Peng that one of her pieces reminded her of a serene Chinese scene with flowing streams and narrow alleyways.

Some fast-paced songs have also prompted audience members to spontaneously break out in dance, as three tango dancers emerged from the audience to perform alongside her.

"It was amazing to see them so enraptured by the music and joining in," Peng said. "Using music to convey and encounter beauty is truly wonderful."

Peng Jingxuan plays the traditional Chinese instrument guzheng in Annecy, France. Photo: Courtesy of Peng Jingxuan

Growing interest 

Speaking of the motivation of her street performances, Peng said that while studying abroad, she has noticed the growing interest among foreign youths in Chinese culture. In France, there is a community dedicated to traditional Chinese clothing, in which many French youths participate in activities while dressed in traditional Chinese attire, and stroll through the streets of Paris. However, she has never come across any Chinese musical instrument being played.

Determined to share the beauty of China's cultural heritage and allow others to experience the allure of Chinese music, Peng started her street performances in France and decided to organize her first guzheng performance at the Bordeaux Grand Theater Square in 2018 and uploaded videos online.

"The video was beautiful. But you know what's even better? Seeing people from everywhere in the world in the comments appreciating this. The first 10 comments I saw were all in different languages. It's amazing how music brings people together," read a comment under her videos.

She said that she was particularly "touched" when reading this comment. "Music knows no borders. I am proud of making efforts to spread traditional Chinese culture through music. This comment also gave me a greater sense of responsibility in spreading Chinese music culture," Peng told the Global Times. 

In 2019, Peng served as the image ambassador for Chinese students in France. In 2021, she was invited to perform on International Mother Language Day at the United Nations. The piece she performed was Sheng Sheng Man, adapted from traditional Chinese lyrics, blending guzheng with her vocals.

Peng told reporters that in the future, she wants to collaborate with local musicians and artists worldwide to create compositions integrating guzheng with local musical elements. Besides, she hopes to organize more solo concerts featuring her original compositions and blend guzheng with electronic music, collaborating with renowned French electronic music masters, thereby bridging ancient Chinese traditional instruments with contemporary electronic music.

"If given the opportunity, I also hope to promote guzheng music education initiatives, allowing more people to learn and understand the charm of the instrument," she said.

Like Peng, cultural confidence empowers many Chinese individuals to showcase their pride in traditional music. We can see bloggers in France playing Chinese melodies on violins in the streets, or performing popular Western songs on guzheng in the US. Through traditional instruments, they blend Western classical and pop culture, promoting Chinese culture to a global audience.