The famous Guzheng song "Su Wu Shepherding Sheep" : Loyalty and persistence across time and space

399 views · Organized by 拙 on 2024-08-17

"Su Wu Muyang" is a famous Guzheng song, which contains deep historical and cultural heritage. This song is derived from the legendary story of Su Wu, a Chinese envoy in the Han Dynasty, who showed his noble national integrity and personal character despite being detained for 19 years in Xiongnu.

The famous Guzheng song

1. Historical background and creative inspiration

"Su Wu Shepherding" tells the story of Su Wu, an envoy of the Western Han Dynasty, who herded sheep by the North Sea (today's Baikal Lake) for 19 years after being detained by the Xiongnu. This experience not only showed Su Wu's unswerving character, but also became the object of praise for later generations of scholars and writers. The song "Su Wu Shepherding" transforms this historical legend into a touching artistic work through the form of music, making people feel Su Wu's unwavering faith in the melodious music.

2. Musical characteristics and playing skills

"Su Wu Muyang" has distinct characteristics in music. It takes Guzheng as the main instrument to play, and uses rich playing skills to express different emotional changes. The beginning part of the song is relatively gentle, and the coherent melody lines depict Su Wu's loneliness and confusion when he first arrived in Beihai. With the advance of the melody, the music gradually becomes passionate, as if Su Wu's inner struggle and persistence; At the climax, it shows Su Wu's indomitable spirit in the face of difficulties through rapid fingering and scale jumps; Finally, the music returned to calm, just as Su Wu finally returned to his homeland after the relief and peace.

3. Artistic value and cultural significance

As a popular kite song, "Suwu Muyang" is not only a musical form of enjoyment, but also an inheritance of the virtues of loyalty and tenacity in traditional Chinese culture. Through the depiction of historical figures, it inspires people's yearning for good qualities, but also conveys a spiritual power that transcends time and space. Whether in the artistic performance or in the popularization of education, "Su Wu Muyang" has irreplaceable value.

Reference materials and contributors
民族乐器网

Involving musical instruments

Guzheng (pinyin: Gǔ Zhēng), also known as Hanzheng and Qinzheng, is an ancient national musical instrument of the Han nationality and is popular all over China. It is often used for solo, duet, instrumental ensemble and accompaniment of song and dance, opera and folk art. Because of its wide range, beautiful timbre, rich playing skills and strong expressiveness, it is known as the "King of Music", also known as "Oriental Piano", and is one of the unique and important national musical instruments in China.

Guess you like

Organized by 关谷奇迹 on 2025-04-11
In the world of traditional Chinese music, guzheng pieces stand out for their melodious and graceful tones as well as their profound cultural heritage. Among the many captivating guzheng masterpieces, "Jianchang Moon" shines with its unique artistic charm, becoming a brilliant pearl in the hearts of classical music lovers.
read >>
Organized by vespa on 2025-03-18
Among the numerous guzheng pieces that have been passed down to the present day, "Xunfeng Qu" stands out with its melodious tune, profound emotions, and delicate depiction of natural beauty, making it a rare classic in the hearts of many guzheng enthusiasts.
read >>
Organized by 长恭 on 2025-02-28
"Yuanban Sanliu", as a classic guzheng piece deeply imbued with the charm of Jiangnan silk and bamboo music, not only carries rich historical and cultural connotations but also showcases the development and transformation of guzheng art in different eras.
read >>
Organized by 湛鹰 on 2025-02-21
In the vast starry sky of traditional Chinese music, there is a particularly dazzling star, which is the famous guzheng piece "Dry Thunder". This piece not only conquers the hearts of countless listeners with its unique artistic charm, but also has become one of the important works for guzheng players to showcase their skills.
read >>
Organized by 拙 on 2025-01-05
As a traditional musical instrument with wood as its main material, Guzheng is very sensitive to changes in the environment, especially in the cold and dry winter, and improper maintenance may lead to damage such as string pine and wood cracking.
read >>