French teacher in Jiangxi pursues mastery of ancient Chinese musical instrument

China

French teacher in Jiangxi pursues mastery of ancient Chinese musical instrument

2025-02-03 17:28 Last Updated At：18:07

Captivated by the unique charm of the guqin, an ancient Chinese plucked instrument with a history spanning over 3,000 years, a young Frenchman crossed the ocean to Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, to pursue his passion for mastering the instrument.

In 2018, Thomas embarked on his journey to learn the guqin and began a new chapter in Jiangxi, where he now resides as a foreign teacher at Jiangxi College of Foreign Studies.

"I began to gain an understanding of China's philosophy and culture when I was a college student. In my opinion, an important part of Chinese culture is Qin (guqin), Qi (the game of go), Shu (calligraphy), and Hua (painting). Among these, guqin holds the top position, so I started learning it and Chinese traditional culture," he said.

Qin, Qi, Shu and Hua are considered as the four arts revered by ancient Chinese scholars.

Thomas noted that guqin culture is profound, but in France, he could only study its theoretical aspects through books, which felt insufficient. In 2018, he embarked on a journey to China to deepen his understanding, with Jiangxi—one of the cradles of guqin culture - as his first destination.

"I take learning the guqin seriously. When I learn a music, I always start by finding out who composed it. I want to understand what they felt and what they intended to convey at the time," he said.

Every month, the Frenchman joins the guqin club's gatherings, where he shares his passion for the ancient instrument with fellow enthusiasts, exchanging techniques and insights on guqin culture.

"My favorite piece is 'Who Is Singing'. Every time I play it, I feel as if I am connecting with someone from 2,000 years ago. This piece is truly unique because of its enduring legacy. Today, the guqin has seven strings, but 'Who Is Singing' uses only five, reflecting the instrument's ancient form. By playing it, we can gain insight into how people in antiquity performed guqin music. Its profound history allows me to deeply engage with Chinese heritage as I play," he said.

Thomas revealed that his initial fascination with guqin culture led him to China, but he was thrilled to discover cultural riches that exceeded his expectations.

"I enjoy traditional elements such as the Pavilion of Prince Teng, Shengjin Tower, and Bada Shanren. For example, when I learned 'High Mountains and Flowing Water', I liked visiting high mountains and watching flowing water. I traveled to places like Meiling, Sanqing Mountain, and Wugong Mountain in Jiangxi. I often climb mountains because everything I do is aimed at self-improvement. Learning the guqin is challenging, just like climbing mountains, running, and learning Chinese, but I enjoy challenges. I plan to dedicate several years to studying the guqin so I can play it better," he said.

As a teacher, Thomas often shares his life with his students.

"Whenever I do something interesting, I post about it on WeChat Moments. Naturally, my students often see it and ask, 'What did you play yesterday?' or 'What did you do yesterday?' This leads to conversations about Chinese culture, traditions, and philosophy. I truly enjoy these moments," he said.

He recently married a Chinese woman and his family will be heading to China to visit the newlyweds after the Spring Festival.

"They will stay for one or two weeks, and since I have my own car, I plan to take them on a tour around Jiangxi - perhaps to Lushan Mountain, Shengjin Tower, and Wanshou Palace. Since this is their first time in China, I believe it will be fascinating for them to experience traditional Chinese culture," Thomas said.

Gulf tensions raise fears for Iraqi's oil-funded economy

Rising military tensions in the Persian Gulf are casting a heavy shadow over Iraq's economy, raising concerns about the fate of oil exports and maritime trade.

The recent targeting and burning of two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi oil within Iraq's territorial waters marks a significant escalation, signaling that a closure of the Strait of Hormuz is now a tangible threat. Such a scenario would halt Iraq's oil exports to global markets, dealing a severe blow to an economy that relies on oil revenues as its main source of funding for both operational and investment budgets.

With the main maritime route for its oil exports disrupted, Iraq is now looking to the central bank's reserves to cushion the shock of lost oil revenues and to ensure the payment of government employees' salaries.

"The other impact Iraq fears is the economic fallout from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This will affect Iraq just as it will other countries, but it will hit Iraq harder, because Iraq relies mainly, almost 90 percent of its resources, on oil sales. So the economic impact on Iraq will be significant. The consequences are both political and economic," said Hamza Mustafa, an Iraqi journalist.

The Iraqi government has few alternatives for exporting oil through other routes. The Ceyhan pipeline, which carries Iraqi oil through Turkey, remains shut, leaving the Gulf, now a conflict zone, as the only outlet. Recently, Iraqi officials have begun discussing the need to boost non-oil revenues to mitigate the economic impact of the ongoing conflict.

"We are doing everything in our power to keep this war away from our country, because Iraq cannot withstand more conflict. Our country has reached a critical economic stage in recent years, both before and after the previous regime. We have learned many lessons. As parliament, we will push for decisions that serve our citizens and our country," said Saqr Al-Muhammadawi, a member of Iraq's parliament.

According to a statement by Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian Navy, the Strait of Hormuz has not yet been militarily blocked and is merely under control. The strait "is only closed to the tankers and ships belonging to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass," he said.