On February 24th, North American Guqin Association held a Chinese New Year Concert at the Milpitas Community Center at 2:00 p.m. to join in a feast for the soul. Guqin music, poetry, calligraphy and painting were meshed together in a celebration of the Chinese New Year, accompanied by dance, Chinese opera and a demonstration from Shaolin temple. It was a time to witness the beauty of the past continuing into the future, shaping itself in new ways.
Those attending became part of this multimedia experience, learning about the history and symbolism of the guqin, as well as the stories behind many of the poems and songs that were performed. Calligraphers and painters worked simultaneously with the performances, in one case writing the poem as it was recited, with their work projected so that all could see. A question-and-answer session about Chinese culture drew the audience further in, and the celebration culminated in an exhibition of a different sort of refinement, that of Shaolin kung-fu.
This event was covered by TV 38, as well as (Chinese Radio station). The mayor of Milpitas, Jose Estevez, presented a certificate to Wang Fei in recognition and congratulation of NAGA's use of the guqin as a bridge between American and Chinese culture. We would like to thank all of the sponsors and volunteers who made this event possible, including the City of Milpitas, Chinese Culture Net, the S &J Family Foundation, Beijingers.com, Chinese TV 38, Yin Qiying, Li May Phipps and Pat Wang.
North American Guqin Association