At Tencent's annual film and TV showcase, “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” officially announced Li Yitong as the lead actress. This high-profile drama is a collaboration between Tencent Video and Stellar Gravity, with Wang Yixu as the executive producer, Zhang Jialu as the supervising producer, and Zhao Yilong as the chief director. True to its name, “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” centers around traditional Chinese music, innovatively anthropomorphizing ancient Chinese musical instruments, each possessing a unique spirit: the guqin is elegant and solemn, the jade flute is graceful and ethereal, and the pipa is a harmonious blend of strength and gentleness. The essence of the show can be summarized as “Instruments have spirits, and gentlemen master them.”
What sets “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” apart is its collaboration with the China National Traditional Orchestra as the musical advisory unit, marking their first foray into television. This partnership with internationally renowned traditional music experts aims to blend professional knowledge with popular appeal, creating a seamless fusion of tradition and modernity. The drama follows Yue Yangyang (played by Li Yitong), the most formidable musician of her time, and undercover musical spirit Shao Yi as they outwit each other and embark on a thrilling quest to find the twelve sacred musical spirits. Throughout their journey, they encounter genuine emotions, form loyal friendships, and ultimately rise to greatness, shattering evil schemes along the way.
Two Key Expectations for “Instrumental Anthropomorphism”
In recent years, integrating traditional culture into storytelling has become a common theme in historical dramas, with elements like embroidery, dance, tea ceremonies, and cuisine frequently featured. However, “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” stands out by using traditional Chinese music as its central theme to construct a fantasy world. The core concept of “instrumental anthropomorphism” is novel. In this world where music is the path to cultivation, musicians and their instruments share a deep bond. Just as musicians choose their instruments, musical spirits also select their masters, awakening only when there is a mutual understanding.
The twelve sacred musical spirits are the most powerful in the realm, possessing more complete emotions and complex personalities compared to ordinary musical spirits. The quest to find these spirits mirrors Yue Yangyang's journey of self-discovery. The drama promises to be captivating for two main reasons.
First, the drama offers an opportunity for viewers to gain a deeper understanding of traditional Chinese musical instruments. As the protagonist collects these instruments, the audience simultaneously learns about them. In everyday life, people seldom have a comprehensive knowledge of musical instruments, particularly the more intricate Chinese traditional instruments compared to their Western counterparts. For instance, which is played horizontally, the flute or the xiao? What are the distinct sounds of the pipa and the ruan? Watching the drama also becomes an educational experience, answering these questions. Furthermore, as a fantasy drama, “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” uses its story and special effects to showcase these instruments beautifully.
Second, musical spirits are born from human emotions, and the process of collecting these spirits not only highlights the beauty of traditional Chinese musical culture but also allows the audience to experience genuine emotions alongside the protagonist. Through this journey, viewers learn to recognize and accept various emotions. “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” retains the romantic entanglements typical of fantasy dramas while innovating with its “instrumental anthropomorphism” concept, breaking away from the usual gods and demons theme. It features a blend of passionate growth and the spiritual connection between musicians and their instruments, destined to create waves in the fantasy drama genre.
Strongly Supported by the Creative Team
From the birth of a show to its final production, the concept is vital, but even more crucial is the ability to flawlessly present a high concept. This truly tests the creative prowess of the main team. Fortunately, “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” has a solid foundation. The show has enlisted the well-known Taiwan screenwriter and producer Zhang Jialu as the supervising producer. With many years of deep industry experience, Zhang brings a wealth of professional content creation skills. He is the screenwriter for films like “The Message,” “Mojin: The Lost Legend,” and “A World Without Thieves,” and has won the Best Screenplay Award at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards. His extensive experience makes him the perfect choice for this role.
Having an experienced creator as the supervising producer is an effective talent cultivation model in any region. Moreover, Zhang Jialu is not just a nominal producer who merely signs stars and raises funds. With his involvement, the foundation of “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” is solid. The subsequent success will depend on the director's creative skills. The chief director of the series is Zhao Yilong. As a classic example of an actor-turned-director, he has experience directing various types of films and TV series, demonstrating strong scene control and a deep, unique understanding of characters from his acting background. Zhao has previously collaborated with Tencent Video and Hengxing Gravity on “Eternal Night Galaxy.” With this experience, the sparks he will create this time are highly anticipated by the audience.
Choosing Li Yitong to play Yue Yangyang/Xiyin might be the most fitting decision for “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu.” As Su Shi's famous quote from “On Chao Cuo” goes, “Those who achieve great things not only have extraordinary talent but also possess indomitable will.” This perfectly describes Yue Yangyang's character—resilient, tenacious, yet smart and lively. Li Yitong gained fame for her role as Huang Rong, leaving a lasting impression with her lively and agile performance. She stands out more in period dramas than in modern ones and uniquely combines a playful girlishness with a cool, mature aura. These are precisely the qualities needed to portray Yue Yangyang in “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu.”
How should someone portray a character who, after experiencing significant life changes, sheds their burdens and starts anew with a light-hearted approach? She must be relentless. The most helpless thing in life is not the rough road ahead, but having no goal. Facing challenges fearlessly, her vitality is destined to flourish. She willingly embraces the mundane human world to experience its diversity. The emotions she encounters purify her soul, enhancing her inherent bravery, intelligence, and righteousness. Her quest for truth becomes more profound, making her inner strength unbreakable. The supervising producer forms the foundation, the director provides the structure, and the lead actor is the key element. With this “trinity,” the basic framework of “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” is established.
Additionally, as the official information was released, some netizens revealed that the screenwriter for “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” is Dian Qianhuan. If this is true, it marks another collaboration between her and Li Yitong following “Bloody Romance” and “Fox Spirit Matchmaker.” Their established rapport promises exciting results.
For filmmakers, it is a noble duty to help young people delve into traditional culture. Compared to dry academic papers and niche documentaries, fantasy dramas, which are more popular among young viewers, are undoubtedly a better choice. Objectively, “Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” represents a creative transformation of Chinese traditional culture. The show has partnered with the China National Traditional Orchestra.
The China National Traditional Orchestra represents the highest level of Chinese folk music, boasting the largest traditional orchestral ensemble and the only professional traditional chorus in the country, acclaimed as “the best in China and unique in the world.” Their 1998 performance at the Golden Hall in Vienna had a profound impact domestically and internationally. Interestingly, this prestigious orchestra has a significant following on Bilibili, a community with many young users. Embracing traditional Chinese music is a voluntary choice by the young audience.
“Gu Yue Feng Hua Lu” groundbreaking approach combines fantasy drama with traditional folk instruments. This marks the first cross-sector collaboration for the China National Traditional Orchestra and the first time “ancient music” is the core element in reinterpreting the relationship between “people” and “instruments.” Historically, people have always expressed their emotions through objects, Ji Kang through his qin, Bai Juyi through his pipa, Li He through his konghou, and others through various instruments. Their music evokes deep emotions, reflecting the human heart. How many viewers will be moved to tears by this series?