Date: Sunday, 2 November 2025
Time: 14:00
Venue: Zixia Qin Academy, Dongyong Cultural Park, Dongcheng District, Beijing

On 2 November 2025, the Zixia Qin Academy in Beijing warmly welcomed Professor Cheng Yu of SOAS University of London for an enriching afternoon of music and dialogue titled “Boundless Strings, Resonant Silk Road – The Sound Voyage of Chinese Music.”

As a distinguished pipa and guqin virtuoso, and one of the foremost ambassadors of Chinese music internationally, Prof. Cheng has performed across more than thirty countries, bringing the profound beauty of traditional Chinese instruments to global audiences. She has been hailed by Songlines as a “leading figure in Chinese music in Europe” and has played a vital role in promoting cultural exchange through her scholarship and performance.

This special event combined an insightful lecture with live musical demonstrations, showcasing how Chinese music can transcend borders while retaining its poetic essence.

Programme Highlights:

• Moon Rising High (月儿高) – Pipa solo (traditional literary tune adaptation)
• Abi cheshme Merghul – Uyghur muqam pipa solo
• Üsküdar – Turkish folk melody from the Ottoman period
• Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank (平沙落雁) – Guqin solo
• Spiritual Resonance (神人畅) – Guqin solo
• Improvisation

The gathering brought together pipa and guqin enthusiasts, scholars, and musicians for a memorable afternoon of music and cultural sharing, celebrating the enduring voice of Chinese instruments along the Silk Road.

Prof. Cheng reflected during her talk:

“Music knows no boundaries. Through the pipa and guqin, we hear echoes of ancient stories, and in their strings, the path of the Silk Road continues to resonate,”