Photo: courtesy of Guo Zhikai

 
A renowned Chinese musician and students in Beijing played the classic Chinese song My Motherland and I on the Great Wall on Sunday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), prompting many tourists passing by to clap and sing along.

Hu Yiying, a famous Chinese huqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) player, and 19 students aged from 8 to 15 dressed in white shirts and blue pants or dresses, climbed to the Jiatianyu section of the Great Wall in Huairou District in Beijing, and played the song on the erhu, a kind of huqin.

“I came up with the idea when I was with my friends, as I had always wanted to do something meaningful to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our Party,” said Hu, who graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music and has long been dedicated to spreading Chinese traditional art around the world.

“We talked about things like erhu and the Great Wall. Then I began to think how wonderful it would be if I could combine the two things,” said Hu, whose idea got the backing of many students and parents. Nineteen students were eventually picked from the sign-up list to attend the activity.

Hu chose the song My Motherland and I as she believed that it was “full of patriotism for our country.” They later chose to spend an hour climbing the Great Wall instead of taking a cable car, as the students believed that it was a way to show respect for the activity.

The music prompted tourists to stop and join them in singing and cheering on the unique performance. Some waved Chinese national flags and even shed tears after the show.

The activity was also supported by the Mutianyu Great Wall Travel Service Corporation in Beijing, which arranged the venue on the Great Wall.

Hu Yiying began playing the huqin at the age of 5 and has become a well-known player in the China Oriental Performing Arts Group. One of her recent compositions called Chen Xiao, an Arabian-style musical piece played on the erhu, depicting the tears and struggles in the war between Palestine and Israel, previously attracted great attention worldwide.