Musicians across the Taiwan Straits pose for a photo after Richie Jen's concert. Photo: Courtesy of Benson Chen

 
"Hand in hand, regardless of who we are. Heads up high, walking forward. Let the world know we are Chinese." When Andy Lau, a renowned Hong Kong singer and actor, loudly sang the lyrics of the song "Chinese People" that expresses patriotism and national pride at the Taipei Arena during his concert tour in the island of Taiwan in November, the chorus resonated with the audience at the venue.

The song, crafted by veteran musicians in Taiwan at the end of the 20th century, has maintained its popularity decades on. Today, a wave of pop music hits focusing on themes of national pride and cultural identity is emerging from the younger generation of musicians on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, who, under a shared consensus, continue to advance the narrative of "one family across the Straits."

During an interview with the Global Times, Vincent Fang, a renowned Taiwan lyricist, said that sustaining and promoting Chinese cultural heritage has become his life's mission.

Fang, celebrated for fusing pop music with elements of traditional Chinese poetry, wrote lyrics for a song titled "Wo Men Tong Chang Yi Shou Ge" (lit: We Sing the Same Song) in 2022. The song quickly went viral, gaining widespread attention through performances by young singers from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, including Ouyang Nana and Zhang Jie.

Fang wove classic Chinese cultural elements into the lyrics - from tea and the game of Go, to traditional architecture in East China's Fujian Province, conveying the feeling of heavy homesickness and a yearning to be reunited to audiences. The musician told the Global Times that sustaining and promoting Chinese cultural heritage has become his life's mission.

The resonance of pop music intertwined with Chinese culture has been witnessed at various cultural events, ranging from concerts to musical festivals, thereby fostering emotional connections among the youth across the Taiwan Straits through the universal language of music.

"Besides pop music, other forms of pop culture such as variety shows produced in the Chinese mainland offer chances to young people to make exchanges. I can see more Taiwan youth coming to the mainland for work and study as they are captivated by the development and prosperity of many places in the motherland," Tina Wang, a musician from Taiwan who created hit songs such as "Invisible Wings" told the Global Times.

Singing together 

Thousands of young people waved their arms and were immersive in the atmosphere of a seaside music festival held in Lianjiang, Fujian Province in September. Over 30 songs were performed by six bands across the Straits, elevating the atmosphere of the event to multiple crescendos, allowing music lovers from all over the country to fully experience the magic of music, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

As they listened to the memories and stories of the island contained in the lyrics of Taiwan bands like Sunset Rollercoaster, audience members at the music festival also appreciated the local narratives of Fujian expressed through the music of local bands.

The concerts of singers and bands from the island such as Mayday, Jeff Chang and Richie Jen have also become carnivals among numerous fans, so popular that tickets were near impossible to find.

To provide higher-quality musical works for the younger generation across the Straits and promote their exchanges, Benson Chen, a veteran music producer from the island of Taiwan and a member of the Chinese Musicians' Association, launched a training camp in Beijing for dozens of young musicians.

Chen invited renowned musicians, including Wang, who served as mentors at the camp and brought together over 40 young musicians from both sides of the Straits to collaboratively create captivating pop melodies. During an intensive week-long training program, these talented artists formed deep connections and exchanged innovative ideas for creation. In the end, they produced a remarkable collection of 45 heartfelt compositions.

"The musical elements rooted in traditional Chinese cultural essence surprised me when I first came to the mainland for musical creation," Chen told the Global Times, adding that he is trying to promote the unique musical elements to more younger musicians in Taiwan to improve their cultural confidence and inspire them to produce brilliant pop songs belonging to the Chinese people.

The same root

Chen and Wang have perceived the trajectory of development in Chinese pop music within the mainland.

Chen has utilized Chinese musical elements such as traditional instruments and classical poetry as a "potent tool" to propel the further advancement of Chinese pop music. "Why must we employ Western standards to assess our own music? Chinese music should preserve its distinctiveness in order to distinguish itself from various genres worldwide," asserted the musician.

Cultural identity has also been showcased in creations by other Taiwan musicians, including Fang who masterfully blends ancient Chinese poetry with contemporary pop melodies to reveal its timeless beauty.

Chen noted that the younger musicians still need guidance. They already have creative skills and an international vision, and should now be informed on how Chinese cultural essence is the root to advancing their creativity.