Classical sounds bring cultures closer

Amid the city's ceaseless rhythm of traffic and neon lights, the resonant tones of chimes rose inside Flushing Town Hall in New York City on a Friday evening, introducing audiences to ancient Chinese soundscapes and ritual music dating back thousands of years. For many in attendance, it marked their first encounter with yayue, China's classical ceremonial music, in one of the world's most vibrant cultural centers.

The performance was presented by the Yuzhen Jinsheng Yayue Orchestra of Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) as part of its ongoing Jade Melody and Bronze Chime world tour. Following its US debut in Boston, the ensemble arrived in New York with the same mission: not merely to perform, but to open a dialogue between civilizations through sound, ritual and education.

Yayue, according to Huang Yu, dean of BNBU's graduate school, is China's ancient ritual court music.

"Yayue comes from the earliest foundations of Chinese civilization," Huang said. "It was created not for spectacle, but for reflection, not to dominate, but to harmonize. Its purpose was to seek balance within difference, order without rigidity, and unity without erasing diversity."

He noted that this marked one of the first times yayue was performed on an American stage.

Huang added: "Music, after all, does not argue. It invites. In an age often marked by noise and division, the most radical act may simply be to listen, patiently, attentively and together. Yayue does not offer quick answers. Instead, it teaches an older wisdom: that harmony is not the absence of difference, but the art of holding difference with care."

That philosophy came alive in New York. The deep, shimmering tones of the bianzhong (chime bells) and bianqing (stone chimes) blended with ceremonial dance and traditional Chinese instruments, creating an immersive atmosphere that felt foreign yet strangely familiar. Audience members were visibly captivated by the visual precision and meditative pace of the performance.

Bora Yagiz, a graduate student attending the concert, told China Daily he had never experienced anything like it before.

"It was very captivating. I enjoyed the percussion and the dancing and the choreography. I definitely feel like I'm more interested in it (Chinese ancient culture) now," he said.

Another audience member, Mark Kirschbaum, described the experience as "very exciting."

"I'm a big fan. I played guzheng (plucked zither) and guqin (seven-string zither), so I have a deep feeling for ancient music … It's a very high-quality ensemble … It's so rare to hear the gongs and the chimes in a setting like this," he said.

For scholars and musicians in attendance, the evening offered more than aesthetic pleasure. It provided insight into a musical tradition that embodies an entire civilization.

Cai Jindong, director of Bard Conservatory's US-China Music Institute, told China Daily that he has been in communication with BNBU over the past year and previously visited the university's Zhuhai campus to watch the ensemble perform, calling it "an incredible experience."

"When you talk about yayue, it really goes back thousands, at least two or three thousand years ago. When the music was played in court, nobody really knows exactly what happened, but we have a lot of literature," Cai said.

"This really takes a lot of encouragement and research, going through history, literature and poetry to figure out what that music could have been. I really admire the university and the Yayue Ensemble for bringing this to life."

Yet what makes this tour especially distinctive is who is performing.

The ensemble's members are not professional musicians — they are university students majoring in fields such as finance, data science and communication. Alongside mastering traditional instruments, they study classical Chinese texts including The Book of Rites, building a foundation in humanities and philosophy.

According to BNBU, when students step onto international stages, they do so not as career performers, but as cultural interpreters shaped by a liberal arts education.

"They all joined voluntarily out of their genuine interest in Chinese yayue and traditional Chinese culture. When they first entered the university, the Yayue Ensemble held recruitment activities, and that's when they decided to take part," said Guo Haipeng, dean of BNBU's School of General Education.

This historic North American debut grew out of BNBU's distinctive educational vision as a Sino-foreign liberal arts university.

"While students follow internationally oriented programs, we also place strong emphasis on the inheritance of China's outstanding traditional culture. This balance between global education and cultural roots defines our approach," Guo said.

Ten years ago, the university adopted its motto: "In knowledge and in deeds, unto the whole person," aiming to cultivate globally minded students while supporting their balanced development as individuals. Guo said the yayue world tour reflects that philosophy in action.

"To my knowledge, this is the first time such a complete presentation of yayue featuring bianzhong and bianqing has been staged in the United States. It is especially meaningful in promoting cultural exchange between China and the US, and we hope to start with young people," he said.

As the final notes faded and applause filled the hall, the moment lingered. Outside, the city resumed its familiar pace. But inside many listeners, something had shifted.

From ancient ritual halls to modern metropolitan stages, yayue continues its journey across time and space. And on this Friday night in New York, its echoes carried more than melody. They carried an invitation: to listen more closely, to learn more deeply and to imagine new possibilities for dialogue between civilizations.