Some 40 overseas students, from Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Turkey, attended the first class – Guqin appreciation – of a Chinese traditional cultural course –at Jiangnan University, Wuxi on Oct 14.

"Guqin, dating back 3,000 years, served as the core musical instrument in China. It is to Chinese music what piano is to European music," Wu Jiong, an intangible cultural heritage inheritor told the class.

Wu Jiong, an intangible cultural heritage inheritor, plays the Guqin in the class. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Guqin is a typical representative of the essence of traditional Chinese music. Its melodies are gentle, pure and elegant, representing the Zheng (uprightness) of Confucianism, the Qing (softness) of Taoism, and He (harmony) of Buddhism, according to Wu.

After Wu's introduction and performance, students itched to have a try. They were taught, "Play with the right hand plucking the strings and the left hand pressing the strings."

Guqin was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in November, 2003.

More than 180 overseas students registered at Jiangnan University this autumn. Forty three percent of them are from 26 "Belt and Road" countries. To help them adapt to the new environment and understand Wuxi quickly, the university offers the optional traditional culture course, which will last until next May.

So students will have chances to learn more about Wuxi's intangible cultural heritage, including Huishan clay figurines, Wuxi opera, sugar paintings and Yixing clay teapots.

To help them adapt to the new environment and understand Wuxi quickly, the university offers the optional traditional culture course, which will last until next May. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]