Peng Jingxuan: Striking the right chord in France
28-year-old Peng Jingxuan is famous for her street performance of guzheng – a traditional Chinese stringed instrument. CGTN Europe went to the French city of Lyon and talked to Peng Jingxuan about her musical journey and the inspiration behind her work.
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00:00 (dramatic music)
00:02 Striking the right chord in a different culture.
00:13 Harp student, street performer, and online influencer,
00:18 fulfilling multiple roles doesn't stop her
00:21 exploring new frontiers.
00:23 Born in China and now studying in France,
00:26 Peng Jingxuan is keen to share her musical journey.
00:30 As a traditional Chinese string instrument,
00:53 guzheng has a history dating back more than 2,500 years.
00:58 Jingxuan has been fascinated by its unique sound
01:01 since she was a child.
01:02 (guzheng music)
01:05 (guzheng music)
01:08 (speaking in foreign language)
01:12 (guzheng music)
01:39 Jingxuan came to France in 2017 to study musicology.
01:44 The prevailing culture of street performance
01:46 in the country inspired her to take a leap.
01:49 And the result?
01:50 Her first ever guzheng street performance
01:57 right in front of the opera house in Bordeaux.
02:00 (speaking in foreign language)
02:05 (guzheng music)
02:08 Jingxuan's first success encouraged her to perform more
02:25 and to build connections with those
02:27 she had never met before.
02:29 (speaking in foreign language)
02:34 (guzheng music)
02:37 Because so many people are curious about guzheng,
03:00 she made little pamphlets
03:01 to introduce its history and culture.
03:04 (speaking in foreign language)
03:08 To have a better visual impact when performing,
03:27 Jingxuan likes wearing hanfu,
03:30 traditional Chinese costumes,
03:31 with a history of more than four millennia.
03:34 And there's definitely no shortage of color
03:37 and style in her wardrobe.
03:39 (speaking in foreign language)
03:43 (guzheng music)
03:46 Jingxuan posted videos online of her performing,
04:07 but never expected she would one day
04:09 become an internet sensation.
04:12 (speaking in foreign language)
04:16 As her popularity grows,
04:26 she's eager to create a fusion of tradition and modernity
04:30 and new collaborations with other artists.
04:33 (guzheng music)
04:36 (speaking in foreign language)
04:40 (guzheng music)
04:42 (speaking in foreign language)
05:08 (guzheng music)
05:10 As a Chinese cultural ambassador,
05:14 Jingxuan hopes that music
05:16 can bring China and France closer.
05:18 (guzheng music)
05:21 (speaking in foreign language)
05:25 (speaking in foreign language)
05:29 (speaking in foreign language)
05:33 (speaking in foreign language)
05:37 Looking to the future,
06:01 Jingxuan hopes to take her music
06:03 to the streets of different countries,
06:06 as she believes what belongs to one nation
06:09 also belongs to the world.
06:11 (speaking in foreign language)
06:15 (guzheng music)
06:29 (guzheng music)
06:32 [BLANK_AUDIO]