Expert Lecture — Guqin Demonstration and Appreciation
Event Date: 27 March 2025
Event Location: The Education University of Hong Kong (Tai Po Campus)
The guqin, one of China’s oldest plucked string instruments, carries a deep cultural heritage and profound philosophical meaning. Through expert-led demonstrations and guided appreciation, this lecture introduces students to the form, sound, and performance philosophy of the guqin, allowing them to explore the traditional Chinese wisdom it embodies and its relevance to modern leadership.
The structure of the guqin reflects the traditional Chinese ideas of the unity of Heaven and humankind and the Three Powers. Its curved upper surface symbolises Heaven, its flat lower base symbolises Earth, and the performer represents Humanity. Together, they express harmony among Heaven, Earth, and humankind. The thirteen markers on the instrument also represent the twelve months of the year and the intercalary month, reflecting the wisdom of following natural rhythms and respecting objective principles.
The guqin’s tonal qualities further embody the philosophy of balance and harmony. Its deep open strings suggest the steadiness of Earth; its expressive stopped tones reflect the changing nature of human affairs; and its clear harmonics evoke the purity and vastness of Heaven. The integration of these sounds requires refinement, restraint, and balance.
This philosophy offers valuable insight for modern leaders. Like a guqin performer, a leader must listen carefully to different voices, harmonise diverse interests, and avoid extremes. By maintaining calmness, objectivity, and inner composure in complex environments, leaders are better able to make thoughtful, far-sighted, and well-balanced decisions.
（As the content involves concepts rooted in Chinese culture, some cultural meanings and finer details may not be fully reflected in translation. For a more comprehensive understanding, please refer to the Chinese version. ）
