Archaeological delights

He vividly recalls when he went to Xinyang Museum along with other members of the orchestra to do research in 2017, there he saw a set of bianzhong that was unearthed in 1957 in Xinyang, Henan province. With a history dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), the nine bells, with the smallest as tall as 13.9 cm and the largest as tall as 40.1 cm, still shine a golden color.

"I was amazed by the bells. When I struck them, the beautiful sound took me back to ancient China instantly. I had many questions, such as who played those bells back then? Who did they play for? Beyond mere entertainment, they offer profound insights into the human experience, traversing time and space," Huo says.

Besides preserving ancient sounds, the orchestra also revives the costumes and there are traditional Chinese dances during performances — all based on research.

Wang Jing, 35, who learned classical Chinese dance as a child, joined the orchestra in 2011 as a dancer and choreographer.

"I visited Henan Museum with my friends in 2010 and saw the orchestra performance, which intrigued me. I contacted them after watching the show and applied for a job," recalls Wang, who graduated from Zhengzhou University with a major in musical performance.