Have you ever been a celebrity? Why are you writing about entertainment?

"Golden Snake Dance" is a very descriptive name. Playing this piece is like a golden snake dancing on the piano keys.

The name is so vivid, so ferocious, yet so beautiful.

The high register is the sharp hissing sound of a snake flicking its tongue, while the low register is the muffled thunder of a snake's body slamming heavily against the earth...

The piano piece recreates the imagery of a snake from beginning to end. In the hands of a master like Shi Chonglin, every ornament is like a cunning flick of a snake's tail.

When Yu Wei first saw the program list, he knew that this program would be difficult to deal with. "Golden Snake Dance" was already a top-tier program and had been famous for a long time. No matter what he used to deal with it, it would not work.

This is an opponent that cannot be defeated by numerical superiority; it's a truly high-level match.

Yu Wei considered using many different pieces to compete head-on, but it never felt quite right. It wasn't that he couldn't win, but rather that it was unnecessary.

There are only a handful of world-class piano pieces, and each one used is one less available. It's just a competition to grab attention from afar, so it would be a waste to release them.

Ultimately, Master Shi was just playing a classic piece, not an original. If he releases a new work, he might win but not make a profit, or lose a lot if he loses.

So Yu Wei decided to change her approach. This was the Spring Festival Gala, meant for the audience, not a piano competition for professional judges.

In situations like these, appropriateness is more important than numerical values.

He doesn't need to aim for world-class status at all. On a stage facing a national audience, he needs a song that is more suitable for the Chinese physique.

Especially on traditional festivals like Lunar New Year's Eve, a work with Chinese cultural characteristics is more meaningful than anything else, especially on the Spring Festival Gala.

Of course, the pieces he chose were also quite good, deserving the title of "masterpiece".

Qi Yuan and the others nearby couldn't wait to start the new program. A black Steinway grand piano appeared on the originally simple stage, looking cool and elegant under the white spotlight.

Then Yu Wei slowly went up on stage. He walked to the piano, but instead of sitting down, he gently stroked the keys.

Many viewers opted for a double performance at this point. They didn't know how good Yu Wei's music was, but at least his style wasn't much worse than that of a master. The main point was to not lose face even if they lost the competition.

What's wrong with the "master"? This dog author is a "dog master," a bit more than a "master"...

Yu Wei finally sat down, slowly raising his hands above the piano keys, his ten fingers slightly bent, as if he were tentatively touching the water.

At this moment, a program information popped up in the lower right corner of the screen, named "Cloud Palace Swift Sound".

"What is this...?"

Yu Wei interrupted them as soon as they started speaking. He pointed to the screen and told them to listen first before he introduced himself.

"The Sound of the Cloud Palace," also known as the overture to Journey to the West, is the theme song of the 86 TV series "Journey to the West," and its classic status needs no further explanation.

The original piece is a blend of Chinese and Western instruments, including electronic synthesizers, guzheng, pipa, and trumpet, and has been listed by the International Society for Electronic Music as a "representative of 20th-century Eastern electronic music".

Although the piano version is not as good as the original, it is still a rare classic, which is quite fitting for this occasion.

With this version as a foundation, it will be easier for Yu Wei to bring out the original version later, since he can't just start playing the guzheng without warning.

Qi Yuan and the others wisely fell silent, then turned their attention back to the program. The next moment, a clear, high-pitched voice leaped from the tip of his right finger.

The sound of the zither was pure and clear, like a drop of sweet dew falling from a great height into a silent jade plate.

Immediately afterwards, his left hand played a series of continuous arpeggios in the middle register, rising and swirling like clouds, creating a wonderful echo with the single notes from his right hand.

Looking at those highly coordinated hands, Qi Luoan couldn't help but recall Yu Wei's previous performance. He had done the same thing back then, using both hands as if they were two people, which was quite a spectacle.

While none of them were particularly skilled at the piano, they did have some knowledge of its principles. Yu Wei's opening was unlike any other Western classical piano piece.

Ye Shengyu, who was casually working at the control room, also noticed this. The music programs on the Spring Festival Gala were all outstanding, and he had no one to blame, so he was naturally quite pleased.

I was thinking of boosting Yu Wei's stats, but he actually did it! This piece of music is clearly not simple; it's very Chinese in style.

This made him take it very seriously, because the impact of a high-quality piano piece and a high-quality Chinese piano piece are completely different.

On the screen, Yu Wei's fingers danced lightly on the piano keys, and the melody line in her right hand was like a nimble bird, soaring and flitting among the clouds.

Each note is clearly discernible, yet they are cleverly woven together, while the left hand remains as steady as the earth, with continuous chords creating an ethereal and distant background.

Gradually, the musical style began to change.

Yu Wei leaned forward slightly, and the power began to transfer from his shoulders. The melody in his right hand became brighter, and a series of sixteenth notes rolled like pearls onto a jade plate, making a tinkling sound.

The left-hand chords became heavier, and a deep vibration came from the bass register. The sound was transmitted through the stage floor to the recording equipment, which even caused a slight resonance.

“This is…” Ye Shengyu instantly recognized the flavor, “It has a certain Eastern charm, but it is expressed using Western techniques.”

His focus had shifted from Yu Wei's performance to pondering the artistic conception of the piece.

What exactly lies deep within the clouds and mist high above the sky?
The melody suddenly shifts, entering a completely new section.

Yu Wei's left hand crossed over her right hand, playing a fast and lively melody in the high register of the piano, like a crane spreading its wings.

The right hand plays a steady rhythm in the low register, creating a stunning dialogue between high and low, fast and slow.

Ye Shengyu's body trembled slightly. He recognized the sound – it was a piano simulating a dialogue between chimes and a guzheng!

Li Bingwen had spoken with him, and this performance matched his description of ancient court music. He had never imagined that someone could recreate this atmosphere on the piano.

The most exciting part begins. Yu Wei's fingers fly across the piano keys, so fast that the specific movements are almost invisible, leaving only a blurry shadow.

A series of arpeggios cascaded down like a waterfall, rushing from the highest note all the way to the lowest note, and then turning back in an instant, like a dragon wagging its tail and soaring into the sky.

The clouds parted, the fog dissipated, and a corner of the celestial palace was revealed!
It wasn't a static scene, but a flowing and vibrant fairyland.

Even if the audience doesn't understand music, they can still hear the underlying meaning, because the whole piece is full of Chinese romance.

The sound of the zither became crystal clear, and the rapid vibrato simulated the flowing of auspicious clouds; a series of exquisite ornaments glided by, like the slender neck of a crane gracefully passing through the clouds.

Yu Wei's left hand moved with a steady, low-pitched gait, like a strongman carrying a giant pillar, or a celestial general treading on a cloud carpet, marching solemnly and majestically.

The melody leaps and turns, carrying an ethereal and fantastical quality that seems otherworldly, yet on a higher dimension, it weaves a breathtaking and orderly tapestry that captivates the soul.

In front of the screen, the audience's tense bodies relaxed slightly, their open mouths slowly closed, and their eyes gradually lit up with curiosity and amazement.

They saw the majestic South Heavenly Gate, the ever-present ethereal mist, and the indistinct, fluttering figures of immortals.

It's not about using your eyes, but about experiencing the sound.

A world that exists only in ancient legends and has never been truly seen by mortals is unfolding with the magnificent sound of the zither.

The rhythm became increasingly clear and celebratory, with Yu Wei's left hand playing a steady and elastic rhythmic foundation, while his right hand soared with more complex and gorgeous notes.

The air seemed to be filled with the rich aroma of fine wine and the exotic fragrance of rare and wonderful fruits.

The rapidly flowing sound is like the flowing sleeves and fluttering skirts of fairies; the powerful rhythm is like the joyful clapping of guests and hosts, a lively yet dignified cacophony of laughter.

While both pieces evoke a dreamlike and romantic atmosphere, this song feels completely different from Yu Wei's previous work, "Castle in the Sky."

It's another castle in the sky, but this time the palace is more familiar to everyone...

The awe-inspiring power of the fairy palace for the Chinese people far surpasses that of fairytale castles. This romance, rooted in the culture, inspires even more imagination and resonates more deeply with the Chinese people.

Many middle-aged and elderly audience members who knew nothing about music theory were moved by this piece of music, as if they had heard it a million times in their dreams.

The music was rich and beautiful, and the lights were dazzling, pushing the bliss and splendor of the Heavenly Palace Feast to its climax.

The audience was involuntarily infected by the joy, as if they themselves were in that incredible Peach Banquet, witnessing the carefree life of the immortals.

This music should only exist in heaven; how often can it be heard on earth?

However, at the height of this joy, a discordant note crept in.

A sudden, short, playful, and provocative melody, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, shattered the perfect chord.

Then, more "dissonant" elements were added, the rhythm became erratic, and the melody began to distort and change.

The audience's dream was abruptly shattered. The celestial music still lingered, but it seemed to be mixed in with a monkey's snickering and an uncontrollable scratching of the ears and cheeks.

A monkey appeared out of nowhere and shattered their dreams of immortality with a single blow...

Upon hearing this, the same name popped into the minds of all the audience members: Sun Wukong?
Many grandparents watching the opera on screen almost blurted out, "This is the Monkey King causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace!"

Upon hearing this, everyone realized that this was not the celestial palace's promotional song, but the "Havoc in Heaven" march, indicating that the mischievous monkey had already stormed in.

The music instantly shed all elegance and restraint, becoming wild and unrestrained, full of destructive power and the exhilarating pleasure of subverting everything!

No longer celestial music, but war drums, the howling of the golden cudgel stirring up the wind and clouds; the giant pillar collapsed, and the glass cup shattered.

They felt a suffocating pressure and a shiver running down their spines.

Heavenly soldiers and generals' perspective.jpg

They "saw" the towering staff, the panicked celestial officials, the fluttering banners, and the shattered jade steps.

Holy crap, quickly go and invite the Buddha!

The audiovisual language brought about by this cultural identity is far more powerful than simply listening to music, to the point that many people don't even know when Shi Chonglin finished his performance.

"You did well today."

Sweating profusely, Shi Chonglin stepped off the stage. "Golden Snake Dance" is a very difficult piece, and even he struggled to play it.

The Spring Festival Gala stage is for a national audience, so he was much more serious about his performance today than usual.

Fortunately, the performance was good and there were no mistakes. Even if some peers were just watching the spectacle, they shouldn't be able to find any fault with it.

He returned backstage while stretching his wrists, but the expected greeting did not appear.

It's not that he's arrogant; after each performance, staff and other guests would exchange compliments, so he's gotten used to it.

This shouldn't be happening on CCTV's Spring Festival Gala, such a prestigious platform...

He looked around thoughtfully, only to find that everyone was engrossed in their phones and hadn't noticed him leaving the stage.

My fingers are practically smoking from all the flicking, and nobody's even looking at this?

What the hell are they looking at again...? (End of Chapter)