英语文摘:Musician is plucking away at the cultural barriers

BEIJING, May 17 -- Wearing a radiant yellow traditional Chinese dress, Shi Lin gracefully plucks the 16 metals strings of her guzheng, a traditional Chinese instrument, producing a flowing cacophony of both light-hearted and serious sounding tones.

"I describe the sound of the guzheng as Gaoshan liushui, water running down from the mountainside," Shi said.

The 24-year-old Beijinger has dedicated her life to the guzheng, a 1.5-m-long instrument best described as a large dulcimer.

She has spent the past four years working as a teacher for the CN Ethnic music school, traveling throughout Beijing to teach foreign and Chinese students how to play the traditional instrument.

Shi Lin, the 24-year-old Beijinger, has delicated her life to the guzheng.

For Shi, teaching foreign students how to play a Chinese instrument is a way to bridge a cultural gap between the two societies.

"Learning the guzheng is not like learning Chinese or mathematics at school; it is not boring," she said. "It is an exchange of music, an exchange of emotion."

With more than 50 students, 20 of whom are foreign students at the Canadian International School in Beijing, Shi says she spends most of her time imparting her knowledge of the instrument in Chinese and English.

"Teaching music is difficult, but not as difficult as some topics. Music is a language of its own and if the language doesn't work, I can just give demonstrations," she said.

Shi first took interest in the instrument at the age of seven when her father, who was fond of its sharp flowing sounds, encouraged her to switch from the piano to something more traditional.

She said as soon as she saw the guzheng she knew it was the instrument she wanted to play.

"The first time I saw the guzheng I thought to myself, 'This is so different from the other instruments.' It's big, with such deep tones and so many strings, and so beautiful," Shi said.

Seeing her interest in the instrument, her parents organized lessons for her immediately.

"Many people think that music is good for health; it is good for intelligence," Shi said. "My parents were so supportive in helping me explore my potential."

When Shi is not teaching, she spends most of her time learning new compositions, which can take anywhere from two to three months to perfect, or traveling to the temples to give free concerts.

"Temples are the perfect places for the guzheng as they are a very peaceful place to sit and play," Shi said.

Although Shi enjoys giving concerts, she says the role of a teacher is ingrained deep within her personality and she couldn't see herself doing anything else.

"I want to inspire and stimulate each of my students when I teach them," Shi said. "I want show them how to express their feelings through song."