Two Chinese musicians are forging a cultural bridge in the heart of Paris as they enchant passers-by with captivating performances of rich folk music showcased through the evocative pipa and flute.
On a street in front of the Center Pompidou, the artists play traditional Chinese instruments in Chinese hanfu, with the striking backdrop of the modern art museum behind them. They performed the classic Chinese folk music "Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon" and the French pop song "Les Champs-Elysees".
"I think it's really beautiful. I particularly like the 'harpe''… how do you say it in English? Pipa. So, in French, it's 'harpe'," said one of the spectators.
"I was just running and I just heard the music, the song, and it was really nice, so I stopped by," said another spectator.
"The feeling is not the same as we are used to here, so it's very traditional, very far from what we hear from China. So, it's really interesting," said another spectator.
Zheng Yihan, one of the street performers, is deeply into music and fashion. Together with her associate, they play traditional instruments on the streets after work, fusing some western elements into their music.
"There are different forms of performances on the streets on nights, days, and weekends, so we wanted to spread our music that way. And sometimes we play western music, which is more familiar to people here, to get them interested and willing to come and listen, so they can learn about our Chinese instruments," she said.
Meanwhile, the city's growing appetite for Chinese culture is further satiated by a nearby restaurant, where authentic cuisine draws in locals and tourists alike.The restaurant serves handmade Chinese noodles in classic Shanxi style--sliced from a chunk of dough and whipped quickly into boiling water.
The owner Guo Zhanglong is from China, with his mother-in-law from north China's Shanxi being the eatery's top chef.
"Because I am from Datong, where people eat noodles three times a day. Datong, Shanxi is especially famous for its delicious food," she said.
Guo said her mother-in-law's cooking skills not only won praise from friends, but also inspired him to open the restaurant.
"When my mother-in-law came to our house, it was like a holiday for us. My friends and I got together for dinner and said, 'Let's not go out to eat, auntie is here. My friend said to me, 'Your mother-in-law is such a good cook, you should think about opening a restaurant here,'" he said.
The food served here gives many Chinese a taste of home and leaves a lasting impression on many foreigners who come to have a try.
"Yes, I really like it. I'm not a fan of pork normally, but this one is really tasty, really tasteful, [with] a lot of flavor. It's very nice," a customer said.
"It's very fine. What I like about Chinese food [is that] there is not a lot of fat. And I also like the soup, the soup that Chinese people eat, I find it delicious," another customer said.
A clerk from a nearby restaurant is a regular here, he likes to exchange western style dishes from his store with the food here.
"Of course. Delicious, I love it," he said in response to whether he liked Chinese food.
Guo hopes to introduce more people in France to the popular dishes from his homeland.
"We hope to use our store as a small window and bridge to promote traditional Chinese food and bring more of our classic food to foreign countries, so that our foreign friends can try and enjoy it," he said.
Chinese folk musicians enchant Paris with soulful melodies, traditional culture
Chinese folk musicians enchant Paris with soulful melodies, traditional culture
