It was ironic, really, that this piece was composed by Lu Ming at the age of twelve.
At the time, he had been on a three-month road trip with his parents. They had driven across the vast landscapes of their homeland, witnessing blue skies and white clouds, hearing the chirping of birds and insects, and marveling at snow-capped mountains, deserts, lakes, and jungles.
Those three months broadened Lu Ming’s horizons to the fullest.
They say heaven and earth are a person’s best teachers.
Upon returning home after the trip, Lu Ming immediately wrote down all his thoughts and feelings. Simultaneously, inspired, he composed a piece of music in a single evening.
The music was incredibly cheerful, capturing the essence of his three months of experiences.
It depicted the tranquility of the forest, the rush of the Yellow River, the vastness of the Gobi Desert, the fragrance of flower fields, the swirling white mists of snow mountains, and the unyielding strength of majestic peaks.
Lu Ming named this composition: Zhu Xia.
Since the trip mostly took place in summer, and the scenery he encountered was typical of summer, he chose the name Zhu Xia to reflect the season and the experience.
The piece, "Zhu Xia," was described as tempestuous and unpredictable, with a highly challenging playing difficulty that even a piano professional at level ten could not easily master.
Upon seeing this composition, Lu Ming’s piano teacher was astonished, proclaiming him a celestial talent. She immediately helped Lu Ming release the piece.
At that time, she also gave Lu Ming an artist's name: Shao Yan.
A good piece of music doesn't always guarantee a positive reception, especially when released by an unknown artist like Shao Yan.
Therefore, "Zhu Xia" made little impact domestically. However, upon reaching foreign shores, it immediately sparked discussions among professionals who praised the beauty of the composition.
Yet, its resonance was limited to professional circles and it did not achieve widespread fame.
Thus,
"Zhu Xia" was a piece respected by professionals in the beautiful country, but less known elsewhere.
Especially in China, almost no one had heard of it.
A rather ironic situation.
More than a decade later, Lu Ming heard this piece again and was deeply moved.
One had to admit, Isabella's skill was quite high. She played the piece beautifully, each note touching the hearts of the audience.
As the performance concluded, even those unfamiliar with music were profoundly moved and applauded.
Peng Ying, in particular, felt a mix of emotion and worry.
The piece was incredibly difficult, yet Isabella played it so wonderfully. It was undeniable she had real talent; Peng Ying, admitting her own inferiority, truly felt anxious for Lu Ming.
Defeating Isabella with the same piece seemed impossible; a change of repertoire was necessary, which was Peng Ying's immediate thought.
However, the parents in the audience had already concluded that Isabella had won.
“This piece is truly magnificent. Isabella is indeed a music professor from the Beethoven Conservatory; her skill is breathtaking.”
“Lu Ming is definitely going to lose.”
“Alas, listening to this piece fills me with sorrow. How can people from the beautiful country write such wonderful music? Ours are all utter rubbish. I lament their misfortune and rage at their inaction; it’s a failure!”
“Indeed, thinking about it, how wonderful it would be if I were from the beautiful country.”
These kinds of people, fair-weather opportunists with no roots, had already sold themselves and their country before anything had even truly happened.
Did the moon shine brighter abroad?
One word: pathetic!
Listening to the murmurs from the audience, Lu Ming sneered. He walked up to the piano and sat down. Taking a deep breath, he addressed the microphone, saying, "Everyone, I believe you have misunderstood something."
All eyes turned to Lu Ming.
Misunderstood what?
Lu Ming continued, "This piece was composed by an author from Huaxia, not by your beautiful country's father!"
With that statement, he slapped the faces of many who had betrayed their heritage.
In an instant, many faces turned red.
Yet, a significant number refused to admit their error.
“Stop spouting nonsense! How could anyone from Huaxia compose such a beautiful piece?”
“Is it that difficult to acknowledge someone else’s excellence?”
“If you can’t create it yourself, you resort to stealing others’ achievements. Have you no shame? Get off the stage and stop playing!”
These people were utterly pathetic to the core.
Lu Ming chuckled at their nonsensical ravings and retorted, "You people have knelt for too long and can no longer stand. This 'Zhu Xia' is a composition by our Huaxia author, Shao Yan. While Isabella played it well, she failed to handle many details properly. Some notes, whether she played them incorrectly or deliberately altered them, had too many flaws. Now, I will demonstrate to you what the true 'Zhu Xia' is!"
His words were undeniably arrogant.
He not only challenged the hundred-plus student parents in the audience but also completely criticized Isabella.
In truth, Isabella had indeed altered the piece.
She felt that some of the note transitions were too abrupt, and the emotional shifts seemed off. Why would it suddenly become joyful during a sad passage?
She couldn't comprehend it, so she changed the notes herself, allowing for a gradual emotional transition rather than such abrupt shifts.
In reality, she was profoundly mistaken.
Take the part with the drastic emotional shift: Lu Ming had seen a chrysalis wrapped up, appearing as if it were dead. This reminded Lu Ming of death, causing his emotions to plummet.
But just as Lu Ming was crying, the chrysalis suddenly broke open, and a beautiful butterfly emerged.
In an instant, death transformed into life.
The beauty of life was displayed in its entirety at that moment, causing Lu Ming's mood to shift 180 degrees from sorrow to joy.
This sudden change in melody and notes was a reflection of Lu Ming's state of mind at the time. How could Isabella, who had not experienced that scene, understand?
Moreover, Isabella was viewing the piece from an adult's perspective, which was inherently problematic.
Lu Ming was only twelve years old when he composed it; he was a child!
A child's disposition is lively and energetic, and their emotions change drastically and capriciously. It was precisely this that gave the piece its unpredictable nature and vibrant rhythm.
Without understanding the world from a child's perspective, without experiencing the piece with a child's mindset, one could not play the true "Zhu Xia"!!!
Isabella possessed a great deal of technical skill, but lacked emotion.
Now.
Lu Ming placed his hands on the black and white keys and began to play. He intended to show everyone what a true piano solo truly was.
A great artist, a skilled pianist, possesses not just technique, but more importantly, emotion!
As the first note sounded, the audience's ears were instantly captivated.
They followed the dance of Lu Ming's fingers, carried by the beautiful piano notes, traveling through time and space with Lu Ming, back to that summer, many years ago.