2nd Lutai Youth Zhucheng-School Guqin Exchange Gathering & Cross-Strait Guqin Masters Concert Held in Zhucheng, Weifang

　　Aug 20(Taiwan.cn)—On the morning of August 16, the 2nd Lutai Youth Zhucheng-School Guqin Exchange Gathering and Cross-Strait Guqin Masters Concert themed “Dragon Rhythms of Silk Strings, Bonds Across the Taiwan Strait” took place in Zhucheng, Weifang. Under the banner of “Seven-Stringed Instrument Inherits Cultural Heritage, Both Sides of the Strait Share Melodies,” the event brought together more than 100 guqin masters, enthusiasts and youth representatives from across the Taiwan Strait. Using the guqin as a medium and music to convey affection, the event featured gentle, time-honored string music to bridge cross-Strait cultural heritage and celebrated the fraternal bonds between compatriots across the Strait.

　　At the venue, guests from both sides jointly plucked the strings, producing clear, melodious guqin tones. During the performance session, renowned guqin artists from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan took the stage in succession to deliver heartfelt renditions. Diverse guqin styles were showcased side by side, presenting a feast of guqin art rich in cultural depth and heartfelt emotion. Pieces of the Zhucheng school feature robust tones and bold expressive qualities, fully embodying the profound spirit of Qilu ritual and music culture. The Mei-An guqin repertoire, which originated in Zhucheng and gained popularity in Taiwan, boasts graceful, delicate and lingering melodies, reflecting the refined tastes of traditional literati.

　　Classic works including "Moon Over Mountain Pass," "Flowing Water," "Parting at Yangguan," "Lament of Changmen," and "Night Thoughts by the Window" were performed in succession. Performances alternated between guqin-xiao duets and two-guqin ensembles, producing pure, mellow string sounds with lasting resonance. The closing piece "Homecoming" conveyed sincere emotions and profound significance, vividly illustrating the deep kinship rooted in shared bloodline and cultural heritage that binds compatriots across the Taiwan Strait. As young people from both sides played the guqin, discussed techniques, and bonded through music, they gained a profound understanding of their shared Chinese cultural origins, jointly composing an era-defining melody for cross-Strait unity and shared progress.

　　This series of exchange activities lasted six days, featuring special performances by young guqin players from both sides of the Strait and salons exploring the origins of guqin culture. These sessions provided a platform for guqin masters and young enthusiasts to gather, exchange ideas and learn from one another. During the event, the Taiwan youth study-tour group embarked on immersive study tours across Weifang, Qingdao and Jining. They admired the splendid landscapes of Shandong, experienced the essence of Confucian culture, appreciated the charm of intangible cultural heritage, and gained deep insight into Shandong’s time-honored historical legacy and dynamic high-quality development. Through varied forms including on-site visits and interactive exchanges, the event shared cultural stories of shared roots and spiritual affinity across the Taiwan Strait, and garnered strong youthful vitality for deepening Lutai cultural exchanges and advancing cross-Strait integrated development. (Jointly reported by Taiwan.cn and the Taiwan Affairs Office of Weifang)