Zheng Yuhong poses for a photo at the Macao University of Science and Technology. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Zheng Yuhong, a fifth-generation inheritor of the Mei'an guqin and a teacher at Qidong Kexin Technical School in Nantong, Jiangsu province, was invited to participate in a cultural exchange event in Macao on Nov 24.

The guqin is the oldest form of instrumental music in China, renowned for its profound artistic value, and the Mei'an guqin is one of its most distinguished schools. Through a lecture combining performance and explanation of this national intangible cultural heritage, Zheng enhanced the cultural connection between Nantong and Macao.

Participants pose for a group photo during the cultural exchange event in Macao on Nov 24. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

After earning her master's degree in Hotel Management from Macao University of Science and Technology earlier this year, Zheng returned to her hometown to teach at Qidong Kexin Technical School. She has seamlessly integrated her cultural communication experience from Macao with her expertise in intangible cultural heritage, becoming a pivotal figure in the school's related educational initiatives. The school plans to introduce extracurricular courses in guqin and tea art, with Zheng's participation offering vital professional support to infuse traditional culture into the campus environment.

During the event, dressed in elegant attire, Zheng performed classic guqin pieces such as Flowing Water and Three Variations of Yangguan. She shared insights from her learning journey and cultural dissemination experiences in Macao, delving into the historical origins, artistic characteristics, and playing techniques of the guqin.

She said that Kexin's emphasis on intangible cultural heritage projects has given her a wide platform to nurture cultural inheritance on campus. In the future, she plans to systematically teach guqin and tea art through the school's courses, while exploring cross-disciplinary integration of guqin with Cantonese Opera and music, bringing intangible cultural heritage into everyday life.