259 Face-Smacking! China’s Music Culture!
Everyone turned to look at Shen Ruojing.
The students learning orchestra were looking at her with eyes filled with worship and respect.
On the other hand, students from the folk music department felt that her appearance right now was extremely hateful. They unhappily vented their emotions on Anonymous.
“She is Anonymous and will naturally speak up for orchestra music!”
“Using a famous composer to smack the faces of us students…are you all shameless?”
“That’s right, isn’t this pure bullying?”
The students from the folk music department began to get angry from indignance.
Yun Yiheng also clenched his fists. He stretched out his hands and made a gesture, and everyone from the folk music department immediately fell silent.
It was too difficult for folk music to stand out.
Some of them truly liked folk music, and others only joined because they didn’t get enough points to make the cut-off for the other departments.
Many celebrities, composers, and musicians were from the Music Academy. However, the folk music department had never produced anyone famous before. Currently in school, Yun Yiheng’s prestige was the highest among those in this department.
Hence, when he made a gesture, everyone looked at him.
He pursed his lips and looked at Wen Yuyi. “Don’t try to instigate things here. She is my cousin, but this has nothing to do with the fact that she is also Anonymous.”
However, Wen Yuyi said, “How can there be nothing to do with it? Or are you afraid to hear Teacher Anonymous speak? Teacher Anonymous will precisely be able to provide us with unique insights because she stands in a lofty position. Isn’t that so?”
She directly looked at Shen Ruojing and exuded an overbearing aura. “So, Teacher Anonymous, why don’t you tell us more? Are western musical instruments or eastern musical instruments better?”
She wanted to make Shen Ruojing express her stance.
Shen Ruojing’s lips curled before she slowly spoke, “In my humble opinion, the two cannot be compared.”
“…”
Silence descended on the atmosphere.
Everyone from the folk music department heaved a sigh of relief and was pretty satisfied with this answer.
However, Wen Yuyi smiled. “Why can’t they be compared? Let’s not talk about the outside world and just speak about our school. The two departments have been competing for decades. Teacher Anonymous, are you afraid to speak the truth because you are scared of offending Yun Yiheng?”
Someone at the side immediately asked, “What do you mean?”
Wen Yuyi lowered her eyelids and laughed. “Teacher Anonymous’s mother is the illegitimate daughter that the Yun Family just acknowledged a few days ago…Forget it, let us not force Teacher Anonymous. In school, we are not afraid of the Yun Family. But it isn’t easy for Teacher Anonymous to finally have a connection with the Yun Family, so how would she dare to offend Yun Yiheng?”
Yun Yiheng grew angry. “Stop trying to stir shit here! When has my cousin ever feared me before?”
Ever since Shen Qianhui’s family moved in, Shen Ruojing already had that arrogant look on her face. How would she be afraid?
Even Yun Yiheng himself didn’t believe this.
Wen Yuyi nodded. “Right, right, how can Teacher Anonymous ever be afraid of you…”
The more she said it like this, the more the others didn’t believe it. “If she is not afraid, why is Teacher Anonymous saying such things here? She clearly learned orchestra music and also shot to fame due to western musical instruments. Yet, right now, she said that the two can’t be compared?”
“Yea, why can’t they be compared? Why?!”
“Teacher Anonymous, you truly disappoint me too much. I thought all artists would be pure and untainted by worldly matters. We have to maintain our love and pureness for music!”
Hearing this, Yun Yiheng tensed his chin.
He then stared at the woman who was being criticized by everyone. Shen Ruojing calmly stood there, her attitude as indifferent as ever. These remarks from the random crowd would never hurt her feelings.
In her eyes, these people were probably unworthy of even a single mention, right?
Yun Yiheng felt that she had only said that for the sake of giving him face. But the more modest she acted, the more awkward he would feel. This was also a type of insult toward Qing Dai!
He pursed his lips and suddenly spoke, “Explain clearly, what do you mean that the two can’t be compared?”
Hearing this, everyone finally fell silent.
Shen Ruojing lifted her eyebrows. “They are basically not from the same system, so how can they be compared?”
Not from the same system?
Everyone was stunned.
Wen Yuyi frowned. “Don’t talk crap here. They are both parts of music, so why can’t they be compared?”
Yun Yiheng was also startled. “What do you mean?”
Shen Ruojing took a step forward and stood at the center of the crowd. Her peach blossom eyes swept through the crowd before she slowly spoke, “The zither has a few thousand years of history in China, but the reason for the zither’s invention isn’t for the sake of producing melodies. Rather, it is for the sake of curing illnesses!”
As the sound of her voice rang out, everyone was stunned.
Everyone looked at her in shock.
Wen Yuyi frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Shen Ruojing lifted her eyebrows. “At the very beginning, the first musical instrument was something named the five-string zither. The melody produced from the five strings corresponded with the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth respectively. The inner organs in the human body have their own unique frequency, and when an inner organ changes due to sickness, the frequency produced would change as well. However, the zither could use the correct melody to help your inner organ produce the correct frequency once more. So, the zither was used to cure illnesses. It was just that later on, King Wen and King Wu of Zhou added the ‘Wen’ string and ‘Wu’ string, causing the zither to become a seven-string musical instrument.”
This was the first time the majority of students here heard this before. For a time, they were dumbfounded.
However, Wen Yuyi sneered. “This is already the 21st century. Shen Ruojing, why are you talking about ancient history? Do you think that we will believe you?”
Seeing the doubtful looks on everyone’s faces, Shen Ruojing suddenly laughed. “Let me ask you guys something. How do you write the word ‘music’ in the traditional form of writing?”
Someone took a step forward and wrote the traditional form of the word music ‘樂’.
Shen Ruojing asked again, “In that case, how do we write the traditional form of the word ‘medicine’?”
That person started slightly before writing ‘藥’ again.
After seeing the two words, everyone on the scene abruptly became quiet.
Shen Ruojing spoke softly, “For the ancients of the past, only the music produced by the zither in combination with the herbs can be considered medicine! The music culture of China is an even vaster system that’s already lost. This is why I always have respect for those who learn folk music.”
In her heart, the zither was used to cure illnesses. She had also once cured illnesses using her zither.
Back then after her persona ‘Anonymous’ got famous, the internet began to have this saying that western musical instruments were inferior to eastern musical instruments. At that time, she found it ridiculous.
But her persona ‘Anonymous’ was simply too famous and had no connection with her other persona ‘divine doctor’. If she used Anonymous’s identity to play music with a zither, she probably would attract attention from unwanted parties who might be able to infer that Anonymous might be the divine doctor.
Hence, she decisively created another persona ‘Qing Dai’ to sway everyone’s perception that eastern musical instruments were not inferior, before allowing ‘Qing Dai’ to vanish.
Her explanation stunned everyone on the scene.
The students from the folk music department suddenly felt hot blood coursing through their veins. They felt as though their hardwork was now seen by others. In fact, even their eyes turned red. After that, someone began to applaud as the others followed.
Even students from the orchestra music department kept quiet at this moment.
In their hearts, there was a new level of respect for the students in the folk music department.
(So, the culture of our country is so profound…)
Wen Yuyi glanced at everyone in the surroundings. Earlier, they had been criticizing Anonymous with her. But now, they seemed to have an understanding of Shen Ruojing and Yun Yiheng.
She then coldly laughed. “Shen Ruojing, stop talking so abstrusely here. Do you have proof to back your claims? Don’t tell me that we will feel better once we hear [High Mountain and Running River] if we fall sick?”
Shen Ruojing lifted her eyebrows. “Only real zither strings will produce the resonance that matches the actual frequency of the body. Recorded music is useless. In addition, the zither music that is circulating around is already biased toward the music of this era. Their healing effect wouldn’t be too strong.”
“Heh, that means you cannot prove your words? If the zither doesn’t even have a single music piece that can be used to cure illnesses, you actually have the cheek to say this is their purpose?”
Shen Ruojing looked at Yun Yiheng. “According to age, the [Coldness of Plum Blossoms] is a thousand-year-old music piece. It should be able to achieve the healing effect.”
“Hah!” After hearing this, Wen Yuyi acted as though she had just heard a joke. “If Yun Yiheng cannot even take out the complete version of the [Coldness of Plum Blossoms], what’s the point?”
“Who says that he cannot take out the complete version?”
[1] 藥 vs 樂, the 艹 (grass radical) at the top stands for herbs while the 樂 stands for music.
259 Face-Smacking! China’s Music Culture!
Everyone turned to look at Shen Ruojing.
The students learning orchestra were looking at her with eyes filled with worship and respect.
On the other hand, students from the folk music department felt that her appearance right now was extremely hateful. They unhappily vented their emotions on Anonymous.
“She is Anonymous and will naturally speak up for orchestra music!”
“Using a famous composer to smack the faces of us students…are you all shameless?”
“That’s right, isn’t this pure bullying?”
The students from the folk music department began to get angry from indignance.
Yun Yiheng also clenched his fists. He stretched out his hands and made a gesture, and everyone from the folk music department immediately fell silent.
It was too difficult for folk music to stand out.
Some of them truly liked folk music, and others only joined because they didn’t get enough points to make the cut-off for the other departments.
Many celebrities, composers, and musicians were from the Music Academy. However, the folk music department had never produced anyone famous before. Currently in school, Yun Yiheng’s prestige was the highest among those in this department.
Hence, when he made a gesture, everyone looked at him.
He pursed his lips and looked at Wen Yuyi. “Don’t try to instigate things here. She is my cousin, but this has nothing to do with the fact that she is also Anonymous.”
However, Wen Yuyi said, “How can there be nothing to do with it? Or are you afraid to hear Teacher Anonymous speak? Teacher Anonymous will precisely be able to provide us with unique insights because she stands in a lofty position. Isn’t that so?”
She directly looked at Shen Ruojing and exuded an overbearing aura. “So, Teacher Anonymous, why don’t you tell us more? Are western musical instruments or eastern musical instruments better?”
She wanted to make Shen Ruojing express her stance.
Shen Ruojing’s lips curled before she slowly spoke, “In my humble opinion, the two cannot be compared.”
“…”
Silence descended on the atmosphere.
Everyone from the folk music department heaved a sigh of relief and was pretty satisfied with this answer.
However, Wen Yuyi smiled. “Why can’t they be compared? Let’s not talk about the outside world and just speak about our school. The two departments have been competing for decades. Teacher Anonymous, are you afraid to speak the truth because you are scared of offending Yun Yiheng?”
Someone at the side immediately asked, “What do you mean?”
Wen Yuyi lowered her eyelids and laughed. “Teacher Anonymous’s mother is the illegitimate daughter that the Yun Family just acknowledged a few days ago…Forget it, let us not force Teacher Anonymous. In school, we are not afraid of the Yun Family. But it isn’t easy for Teacher Anonymous to finally have a connection with the Yun Family, so how would she dare to offend Yun Yiheng?”
Yun Yiheng grew angry. “Stop trying to stir shit here! When has my cousin ever feared me before?”
Ever since Shen Qianhui’s family moved in, Shen Ruojing already had that arrogant look on her face. How would she be afraid?
Even Yun Yiheng himself didn’t believe this.
Wen Yuyi nodded. “Right, right, how can Teacher Anonymous ever be afraid of you…”
The more she said it like this, the more the others didn’t believe it. “If she is not afraid, why is Teacher Anonymous saying such things here? She clearly learned orchestra music and also shot to fame due to western musical instruments. Yet, right now, she said that the two can’t be compared?”
“Yea, why can’t they be compared? Why?!”
“Teacher Anonymous, you truly disappoint me too much. I thought all artists would be pure and untainted by worldly matters. We have to maintain our love and pureness for music!”
Hearing this, Yun Yiheng tensed his chin.
He then stared at the woman who was being criticized by everyone. Shen Ruojing calmly stood there, her attitude as indifferent as ever. These remarks from the random crowd would never hurt her feelings.
In her eyes, these people were probably unworthy of even a single mention, right?
Yun Yiheng felt that she had only said that for the sake of giving him face. But the more modest she acted, the more awkward he would feel. This was also a type of insult toward Qing Dai!
He pursed his lips and suddenly spoke, “Explain clearly, what do you mean that the two can’t be compared?”
Hearing this, everyone finally fell silent.
Shen Ruojing lifted her eyebrows. “They are basically not from the same system, so how can they be compared?”
Not from the same system?
Everyone was stunned.
Wen Yuyi frowned. “Don’t talk crap here. They are both parts of music, so why can’t they be compared?”
Yun Yiheng was also startled. “What do you mean?”
Shen Ruojing took a step forward and stood at the center of the crowd. Her peach blossom eyes swept through the crowd before she slowly spoke, “The zither has a few thousand years of history in China, but the reason for the zither’s invention isn’t for the sake of producing melodies. Rather, it is for the sake of curing illnesses!”
As the sound of her voice rang out, everyone was stunned.
Everyone looked at her in shock.
Wen Yuyi frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Shen Ruojing lifted her eyebrows. “At the very beginning, the first musical instrument was something named the five-string zither. The melody produced from the five strings corresponded with the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth respectively. The inner organs in the human body have their own unique frequency, and when an inner organ changes due to sickness, the frequency produced would change as well. However, the zither could use the correct melody to help your inner organ produce the correct frequency once more. So, the zither was used to cure illnesses. It was just that later on, King Wen and King Wu of Zhou added the ‘Wen’ string and ‘Wu’ string, causing the zither to become a seven-string musical instrument.”
This was the first time the majority of students here heard this before. For a time, they were dumbfounded.
However, Wen Yuyi sneered. “This is already the 21st century. Shen Ruojing, why are you talking about ancient history? Do you think that we will believe you?”
Seeing the doubtful looks on everyone’s faces, Shen Ruojing suddenly laughed. “Let me ask you guys something. How do you write the word ‘music’ in the traditional form of writing?”
Someone took a step forward and wrote the traditional form of the word music ‘樂’.
Shen Ruojing asked again, “In that case, how do we write the traditional form of the word ‘medicine’?”
That person started slightly before writing ‘藥’ again.
After seeing the two words, everyone on the scene abruptly became quiet.
Shen Ruojing spoke softly, “For the ancients of the past, only the music produced by the zither in combination with the herbs can be considered medicine! The music culture of China is an even vaster system that’s already lost. This is why I always have respect for those who learn folk music.”
In her heart, the zither was used to cure illnesses. She had also once cured illnesses using her zither.
Back then after her persona ‘Anonymous’ got famous, the internet began to have this saying that western musical instruments were inferior to eastern musical instruments. At that time, she found it ridiculous.
But her persona ‘Anonymous’ was simply too famous and had no connection with her other persona ‘divine doctor’. If she used Anonymous’s identity to play music with a zither, she probably would attract attention from unwanted parties who might be able to infer that Anonymous might be the divine doctor.
Hence, she decisively created another persona ‘Qing Dai’ to sway everyone’s perception that eastern musical instruments were not inferior, before allowing ‘Qing Dai’ to vanish.
Her explanation stunned everyone on the scene.
The students from the folk music department suddenly felt hot blood coursing through their veins. They felt as though their hardwork was now seen by others. In fact, even their eyes turned red. After that, someone began to applaud as the others followed.
Even students from the orchestra music department kept quiet at this moment.
In their hearts, there was a new level of respect for the students in the folk music department.
(So, the culture of our country is so profound…)
Wen Yuyi glanced at everyone in the surroundings. Earlier, they had been criticizing Anonymous with her. But now, they seemed to have an understanding of Shen Ruojing and Yun Yiheng.
She then coldly laughed. “Shen Ruojing, stop talking so abstrusely here. Do you have proof to back your claims? Don’t tell me that we will feel better once we hear [High Mountain and Running River] if we fall sick?”
Shen Ruojing lifted her eyebrows. “Only real zither strings will produce the resonance that matches the actual frequency of the body. Recorded music is useless. In addition, the zither music that is circulating around is already biased toward the music of this era. Their healing effect wouldn’t be too strong.”
“Heh, that means you cannot prove your words? If the zither doesn’t even have a single music piece that can be used to cure illnesses, you actually have the cheek to say this is their purpose?”
Shen Ruojing looked at Yun Yiheng. “According to age, the [Coldness of Plum Blossoms] is a thousand-year-old music piece. It should be able to achieve the healing effect.”
“Hah!” After hearing this, Wen Yuyi acted as though she had just heard a joke. “If Yun Yiheng cannot even take out the complete version of the [Coldness of Plum Blossoms], what’s the point?”
“Who says that he cannot take out the complete version?”
[1] 藥 vs 樂, the 艹 (grass radical) at the top stands for herbs while the 樂 stands for music.
