Shenzhen gets in tune with cultural ambitions

Group launched

Eight public pianos have been positioned in Huaqiangbei, and in addition to students, they are played by people in a wide range of jobs on their way home from work.

Some people come to Huaqiangbei to play the instruments, as they don't have a piano at home, while others feel they can perform in the area without any constraints.

When Lu Xuefeng, a 50-year-old housewife, discovered the public pianos, she visited the area every night to play them. She said she could "contribute what she has left" by playing in Huaqiangbei.

Lu decided to launch a WeChat group, "Romantic Piano Night in Huaqiangbei," which now has about 350 members. The group acts as a community where piano enthusiasts from different places come together to organize gatherings and other events.

Starting with just 20 people, the group once had as many as 400 members. It enables members to connect with each other, share their progress in practicing the piano, discuss challenges they face, and plan pieces to perform at gatherings.

Lu said, "Playing the piano on the street brings back memories of my youth," adding that it also provides the elderly with the chance to connect with the younger generation and become part of the vibrant city life in Shenzhen.

Hua Jian, a professor at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said it is important to cultivate individuals through culture.