As the animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 continues its box-office success following the Spring Festival, its soundtrack, rich with traditional Chinese music, is also turning heads, especially a piece featuring the sharp, piercing sound of the suona. This track has garnered over half a million views on YouTube in just two weeks.
The distinctive sound of the suona is becoming more prominent on the global stage. Whether in film scores, video games, or across video-sharing platforms, the instrument’s presence is growing, reaching audiences far beyond China and blending deep cultural traditions with modern appeal.
Driving this trend is a new generation of musicians and composers who are revitalizing traditional music without losing its cultural essence.
One standout example of this fusion is the popular video game Black Myth: Wukong, whose soundtrack prominently features the suona, now reimagined as a key storytelling element in an epic digital adventure.
Chen Libao, a suona instrumentalist with the China National Traditional Orchestra, is the composer behind this innovative integration. Known for his masterful performance of the famous piece Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, Chen is pushing the limits of how traditional Chinese instruments are used in modern media.
“The suona is more than just an instrument; it embodies Chinese culture,” Chen told the Global Times. “In Black Myth: Wukong, it does more than provide background music—it narrates emotions, battles, and mythical landscapes.”
Chen explained that the game’s developers used a scene-based recording method, seamlessly incorporating the suona into different settings to enhance the immersive experience. This artistic approach is rare in mainstream entertainment, marking a significant step forward in the internationalization of Chinese-style music.
“What the audience hears is not just a melody, but an atmosphere, an emotion,” Chen said. “The suona can evoke distant war drums, whisper in the ear, or even build an overwhelming sense of tension.”
While the resurgence of traditional Chinese instruments in modern media is encouraging, Chen cautioned against modernization that veers too far from tradition. Some adaptations of Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix have altered its key or added dance elements, which dilute its original spirit.
“Innovation should not distort the foundation of traditional music,” he emphasized. “The key is to preserve the core while making it resonate with contemporary audiences, particularly younger generations rediscovering Chinese-style music.”
Beyond major projects like Black Myth: Wukong, individual musicians are also playing a key role in popularizing Chinese instruments, especially through social media.
In Bordeaux, France, a young woman in hanfu plays the guzheng at Place de la Comédie. The song Chi Ling flows through the bustling square, drawing a crowd that quickly transitions from curiosity to admiration. The performer, Peng Jingxuan, a Chinese-style music influencer, has over 10 million followers on Douyin and more than a million subscribers on YouTube.
Peng has taken her instrument beyond traditional concert halls, performing at iconic locations like the Eiffel Tower and the Cannes Film Festival, where she played her original composition Mulan on the red carpet.
“At first, I worried that the guzheng, being a relatively unfamiliar instrument, might take time to be accepted,” she shared with the Global Times. “But as soon as people heard it, they were captivated, not just by the sound but by the emotions it conveys.”
One fan commented on her video, “Your performance is like a moving Chinese painting.” For Peng, this combination of visual and auditory beauty is what makes Chinese-style music so impactful.
Peng has also experimented with cross-cultural collaborations, including a cover of Croatian Rhapsody on the guzheng. The global response has been overwhelmingly positive, with one of her videos receiving comments in eight different languages.
“Short video platforms act as a ‘borderless musical bridge,'” she explained. “Through instant interaction, cultural dissemination has never been more efficient.”
The international appeal of Chinese-style music extends beyond social media. Traditional platforms, such as symphony orchestras, are also embracing these sounds.
Li Yuankang, an erhu player with the New York Philharmonic, has performed Chinese pieces in concert halls worldwide. He has seen firsthand how audiences unfamiliar with the instrument are drawn to its emotional depth.
“People from different backgrounds may not immediately understand an instrument like the erhu,” Li said. “But when they hear it, they feel something. That’s the power of music—it transcends language.”
Li believes that cultural exchange through music is more than just performance; it’s about storytelling. “Each note carries a history and cultural essence that resonates, even when the language is different,” he said.
This emotional connection is at the heart of why Chinese-style music is gaining traction globally. While language may present a barrier, music has the unique ability to create an instant bond.
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