Art form's beauty speaks for itself

Wu, in her 30s, only encountered Sichuan Yangqin for the first time in 2023.

"At first, I thought Sichuan Yangqin only referred to the hammered dulcimer," she recalls with a laugh.

"I figured learning an instrument would be a good addition. Only when I arrived in Chengdu did I realize Sichuan Yangqin is actually a narrative singing art form accompanied by the yangqin."

Her introduction came through a national initiative to cultivate talent in intangible cultural heritage, or ICH.

In 2015, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism launched the training and capacity-building program for intangible cultural heritage practitioners to enhance ICH transmission and further integrate it into modern life.

The initiative coordinates selected educational institutions to organize and carry out training programs focused on traditional craftsmanship and related ICH projects.

Wu opted for the 30-day training program by the Sichuan Vocational College of Art, which joined the initiative in 2018.

"It was intense but enriching — filled with daily sessions on musical accompaniment, rhythm techniques, and vocal styling," Wu recalls.

"Sichuan Yangqin features subtle vocal turns and endings that simply can't be written down in sheet music. You can only learn by imitating the teacher," she adds.

She says she was most impressed by the instructors' tailored teaching.

"I'm a woman performing a male vocal role, so the teacher adjusted the pitch and added more vocal ornamentation to suit my voice," she explains.

Wu Xia, a provincial representative inheritor of Sichuan Yangqin and instructor of the intensive training, noticed the monthlong program brought together participants from across Sichuan, including cultural center staff, schoolteachers, grassroots performers and professional actors.

While most had some musical background, few had prior exposure to Sichuan Yangqin.

"Despite the tight schedule, everyone gave their all. They memorized long sections of lyrics. Even though the final performance still had some rough edges, the results were genuinely impressive," Wu Xia notes.

She says a focus was placed on imparting both the technical fundamentals and spiritual essence of the art form to participating students.

"Accompaniment techniques, vocal styles and musical framework — these are foundational elements every learner must first grasp. But beyond the basics, it's crucial to reinterpret and innovate with a contemporary lens, allowing this centuries-old art form to connect with the present day," she explains.

At the same time, she introduced original works she composed, encouraging students to explore new expressive possibilities during rehearsals.

She believes each student can carry Sichuan Yangqin into their respective communities and professions.

Professional actors can bring new repertoire to their troupes, teachers can integrate the art into school activities, and cultural workers can organize performances to widen public exposure, she says.

She also remarked that this has been the most comprehensive and time-intensive teaching experience of her career.

"In the past, city-level workshops were often limited to just three days, which allowed only for brief introductions. To truly teach students how to sing, perform and create, we need structured, in-depth training like this," she says.