Topic: Today's program unfolds in three parts: 1. Zhu Wenji’s musical debate with Emperor Taizong a cross-cultural comparison of Wind Through Pines in Guqin and Beiguan traditions, and 3. a tribute to iconic Song-era Guqin masterpieces. The Song Dynasty marked a golden age of literati music,

Topic: Welcome to tonight’s episode, where we journey back to the Song dynasty—a time when music was not just entertainment, but a reflection of cultural order and spiritual aspiration.

Topic: In the Song dynasty, music and literature were inseparable companions. Ci poetry—also known as “tune-pattern verse”—was born from music, shaped by fixed melodic structures called cipai. Each poem was written to match a specific rhythm, tonal contour, and emotional cadence. This was not poetry set to music—it was music made of poetry.

Topic: Tonight, we journey into the heart of Song dynasty music and literature, where poetry was not merely written—it was sung. In the Song era, the ci form, also known as “tune-pattern poetry,” emerged as a fusion of lyrical elegance and musical structure. Each ci followed a fixed tune pattern, or cipai, guiding its rhythm, tone, and emotional contour. Among these, Shui Long Yin—“Water Dragon Chant”—became a favorite for expressing longing, heroism, and philosophical reflection.Our story begins with Li Zong’e (964–1012), a Northern Song scholar-official and son of Li Fang. Known for his integrity and intellect, Li Zong’e reformed court music, restored instruments, and compiled Yuezuan, a foundational text in Chinese music theory. His legacy bridges governance, literature, and sound.Tonight’s program features five distinct interpretations of Shui Long Yin:Chen Liang’s ci, sung by Li Yuanhua in Kunqu style, based on the Qing-era Sui Jin Ci Pu, revives the poetic-melodic bond of Song tradition.A guqin version performed by Li Xiangting evokes the spirit of Xin Qiji’s heroic lament.Dong Rongsen’s orchestral Shui Long Yin celebrates festive grandeur, blending tradition with modern ensemble.Ma Shui-long’s 1979 pipa solo reimagines the water dragon as a force of motion and myth.He Qirong’s 2020 zhongruan concerto, inspired by his daughter’s birth year, tells a tale of aquatic dance and paternal love.

Topic: Chinese music reached its artistic zenith during the Song dynasty, where centuries of cultural evolution culminated in a refined synthesis of Northern musical structure and Southern poetic tradition.

Topic: Tonight, we enter the refined world of Jiang Kui, the Southern Song poet, composer, and calligrapher whose artistry fused literature, music, and ritual into a singular aesthetic vision. His self-composed pieces An Xiang and Shu Ying—delicate meditations on plum blossoms—embody the spirit of “qing kong sao ya,” a poetic clarity that echoes through his brushwork and melodies alike.

Topic: Literature has rhythm. Music has literary soul. In the delicate tones of silk and bamboo, we glimpse a civilization’s finest hour—where melody carries meaning and words resonate like song.

Topic: Myth is the soul of a civilization—an echo of its origins, beliefs, and dreams. When retold through music, myth becomes not just memory, but resonance. Tonight’s program invites you to experience Chinese mythology reimagined through sound, where ancient tales meet contemporary artistry.