Where is the sound of the flute?

Author: Yu Qiuyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Yu Qiuyu Professor's new work. This book's unexpected focus perspective is destined to make three keywords become the new focal points of cultural discourse this year: World Cultural Heritage, Kunqu Opera, and Yu Qiuyu. Known as the "ancestral of all operas" and the "living fossil of Chinese opera," Kunqu Opera has a history of over 600 years and was once popular in China for more than 200 years. In 2001, UNESCO established the "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," and a total of 19 cultural events and intangible cultural expressions were first awarded. Kunqu Opera art was then designated as China's "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity."
Yu Qiuyu's attention and research on Kunqu Opera art have a classic example: twelve years ago, Yu Qiuyu traveled to Taiwan and, at the invitation of the United Daily News, gave a lecture on Kunqu Opera at the National Central Library in Taipei. After the lecture, he also engaged in a long conversation with the renowned writer Ba Xianyong, whom he deeply respected, about the beauty of Kunqu Opera. The content of their dialogue was later published in the China Times. That was Yu Qiuyu's first time visiting Taiwan, and Journey Through Cultural Desolation had not yet been published there. Therefore, Yu Qiuyu left Taiwan with the impression of a Kunqu Opera researcher. From this perspective, the creative thinking and writing preparation for Where Is the Flute Sound? had, in fact, already begun at least twelve years ago.
Intangible cultural heritage refers to cultural events and oral cultural expressions of special value, including language, stories, music, games, dance, customs, and various artistic expressions. In the current era of globalization, many intangible cultural heritages around the world are facing the danger of extinction, and the protection of many intangible cultural heritages in China is facing the same situation. Ten years ago, Journey Through Cultural Desolation focused on historical, geographical, and material culture. Its unique insights and original thoughts attracted widespread attention from the entire cultural community. Ten years later, in Where Is the Flute Sound?, Yu Qiuyu, with his consistent cultural perspective, focuses on another kind of historical, musical, and intangible culture.
This change in Where Is the Flute Sound? may also imply that the humanistic perspective of the Chinese people is quietly shifting. Objectively, Journey Through Cultural Desolation even sparked a tourism boom in some regions. So, what Where Is the Flute Sound? brings may be a wave of mass attention to Kunqu Opera. Chinese history is filled with the clash of swords, but if you listen closely, you can also hear the mournful sound of the Huqin and flute. However, the latter sound is too gentle and soft, and is often forgotten by people. Forgotten, history becomes harsh and rough. What this book aims to capture is the flute sound of Kunqu Opera, which once captivated the Chinese for two hundred years. Through this book, we hope readers can recall the beautiful, distant yet near flute sound of Suzhou.