Our Shining Days (2017) - full transcript
A youth inspirational film, about how a group of high school students try to revive Chinese orchestra ensemble. They face many challenges along the way to compete nationally, including a rivalry with the more popular Western orchestra club.
Jinx Chen!
It's Jing Chen!
Watch your pronunciation.
Jinx Chen,
I'm playing "The Song of the Phoenix."
Can you please cooperate
and liven up a little?
Dude, it sounds like a funeral march.
How can I liven it up?
There's a fight!
It's folk music versus classical music!
Let's go help!
He won't get out of here alive!
What's going on?
That kid, the cellist,
stirred up trouble last week.
Power Cellist: Folk music kids,
I chanced upon your future today.
# FolkMusic #StreetMusicianOnBridge
I'LL GIVE YOU A REAL POKE, KID
Say it!
Folk music rules!
Let's go back.
Come on, back to "Song of the Phoenix".
MUSIC IS THE GREATEST
Hey, Jinx Chen, wipe your drool already.
You have drool on your face.
I'm trying to practice here!
Don't make me hurt you!
RULES FOR STUDENTS: DEPARTMENTS
MUST PRACTICE IN THEIR OWN AREAS
NO FIGHTING
NO MIXING OF PRACTICE ROOMS
NO EATING AND DRINKING
PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES OF PRACTICE HALL
FROM THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Jinx, your crush on Wen Wang
is becoming an obsession.
You should try to put it out of your mind.
How? Where should I put it?
In a bank? Can it accumulate interest?
In all of our years at the school,
have you heard of any dating rumors
between classical and folk music people?
None whatsoever!
Classical kids think we're bumpkins.
We think they're snobs.
The two departments are like
Romeo and Juliet's families.
We're sworn enemies.
Do you think a simple metal gate
can stop my love?
Plus, both sides were in the fight.
We're all guilty for violating the rules,
but we're the only ones
who got segregated.
What is this? Discrimination?
I'm helping Jing Chen with the water.
She can't carry it by herself.
Why does it smell like meat in here?
That's what he smells like.
He must've bathed himself in lard.
No eating in the practice room.
Okay.
They always check up on
the folk music practice rooms,
as if we're always up to no good.
They never check up on
the classical music's practice rooms.
You're so heartless and conscienceless,
you must weigh next to nothing?
Don't block the windows!
Would you like some?
Xiao Sun, the violinist in junior class,
has been accepted by
the Curtis Institute of Music in the U.S.
Let's give him a round of applause.
Xiao Sun has paved a bright future
for his music career.
Meanwhile, some students
are wasting their days away.
Right now, I must bring two students
to your attention.
Jing Chen, sophomore yangqin player,
and You Li, sophomore folk percussionist.
These two students
desecrated the sacred practice room,
by using the water cooler as a hotpot.
They abused school property,
in open defiance of school policies.
The water cooler as a hotpot?
I'll post a tutorial
in our group chat later.
Nice.
Hello, folk music kids!
Our orchestra is performing
at Zhongshan Hall this week.
Our senior pianist, Wen Wang,
needs a page-turner.
None of us can do it for him.
Can anyone from folk music lend a hand?
Lunch is provided.
So, what?
We can earn more
by moving bricks for half a day.
What makes you think
us folk music kids would do it?
I'll go! What's the date? Time? Attire?
- Sorry.
- Watch where you're going!
So sorry.
What's a folk music kid doing here?
She's a page-turner.
I need to tune properly.
Even if she doesn't open her mouth,
she might make me go out of tune.
May I sit here?
My violin is worth a fortune.
Is it worth more than me?
It is.
ZHONGSHAN MUSIC HALL
And now, "Prokofiev's
Piano Concerto No. 2,"
with Wen Wang on the piano.
Turn the page.
See you later, Wen Wang.
Wen Wang!
Hey!
What are you doing?
I like you.
What's your name?
My name is Jing Chen. I'm a sophomore.
You're a year below me?
- What do you study?
- Yangqin.
That's an instrument?
Huh?
Of course, it is.
I'm going abroad next year.
My behavior here affects my standing
with the school abroad.
We've never crossed paths before.
Please just leave me alone.
Wen Wang!
The bus is leaving. Let's go.
Your emotional interpretation sounded
different on the second movement today.
You noticed?
Hey, page-turner!
Why are you still here?
The bus is leaving.
What's a yangqin?
It's a traditional Chinese
string instrument,
introduced to China from Persia,
during the Ming Dynasty.
It shares the same roots as the piano.
Same roots!
Theoretically, we play
the same kind of instruments.
You've been grumbling all afternoon.
I have to practice.
Give me a smoke.
I've suffered a romantic setback.
I want to be bad.
He's a musician,
but he doesn't know what a yangqin is?
What gives him the right to mock me
and say I'm a bumpkin?
It's so unfair.
Greaves, got any inspirational songs?
Play me something.
What kind?
The kind that will help me
get back on my feet,
forget the past,
and forget the shame.
I want to take my scars with me
and start anew.
Greaves...
I understand now.
Out of my way.
I'll get on stage.
I'll make sure Wen Wang remembers
what a yangqin is!
You want to join
the school's folk music ensemble?
Didn't you attend the department
meeting this week?
So you were there physically,
but your ears were resting at home.
The ensemble's been disbanded.
Why would you want to join?
Even if it wasn't disbanded,
the quality of our ensemble
is embarrassing.
Forget the concert hall,
it's not even good enough
for public square dancers.
Why don't we start an ensemble?
We'll con some younger kids into joining.
WE WANT YOU! YOU! YOU!
College entrance exams are a year away.
If I don't bust my butt studying now,
how will I get into a proper university?
This is my performing schedule this month.
I'm not trying to show off,
but I'm busier than a C-list celebrity.
Don't spend so much time making money.
We're in the prime of our youth.
If we get caught up
planning for the future,
how can we live in the present?
Trust me.
Jing Chen, you're known for
your foolish and reckless blunders.
When you speak,
I can't even trust your punctuation.
Hey! I didn't even make fun
of your so-called instrument!
How dare you!
I want to set sail into a new world,
but I've got no crew.
You have me.
A Tang drum percussionist
and a yangqin player.
What kind of a band is that?
There's no soul.
There's one last resort.
Speak.
These kids don't study
or have part-time jobs.
Have you forgotten about that dormitory?
Dorm 502.
They're all folk music students.
They may be folk music students,
but I don't think they're even human.
This is as far as I can accompany you,
my friend.
They may be freshmen, but...
Don't be afraid, they're just obsessed
with the second dimension, that's all.
What does that mean?
They love everything ACG.
Animation, comics, and games.
That's all they're into. Nothing else.
How do you know all that?
I'm a learned man.
HUMANS STAY AWAY
- I'll take them from the left.
- Ha!
Get them off from the back.
Excuse me.
I DON'T KNOW YOU
DON'T SPEAK TO ME
That's Sakura. She doesn't like to talk.
You don't hate talking, do you?
Talking can help you lose weight.
I hear you can burn 33.5 calories
by talking for an hour.
I'm Jing Chen. I'm a sophomore,
and I play the yangqin.
What are your names?
I'm Beibei-chan.
I'm Tata-chan.
I've only ever had strawberry
and peanut butter jam.
What do you want with us?
Do you want to join...
You!
Do you want to exit through the door
or the window?
SHUT THE DOOR ON YOUR WAY OUT
If they reject you,
your last resort is these two words.
Garage kit.
Keep talking.
If you're willing to join,
I'll buy each of you an original
garage kit figure of your choosing.
And I'll throw in a year of Internet fees.
Keep talking.
Isn't that enough?
A garage kit figure per week?
Welcome, my friend.
Put your phones down for a moment.
Let's communicate like human beings.
Who's this guy?
I'm You Li. I'm the percussionist.
My secretary.
Why don't we come up with
a name for our band?
It took me all night last night
to come up with two names.
Number one,
The Magical Cacophony.
Doesn't it have a powerful punch?
No problem.
Goddesses of Folk Music...
How's that? It's East meets West.
Good for all ages.
What about me?
Do you have any suggestion?
- 2.5 Dimension.
- What does that mean?
We're elites from the second dimension.
You and that guy represent
the third dimension.
- As in, you're regular human beings.
- So together...
We're 2.5 Dimension.
Why don't we just call it
Close Encounters with the Ghostly Kind?
Don't leave.
It's a peaceful society!
We can talk things out!
2.5 Dimension.
Not bad.
Anyway,
I've already sent you the link
to the garage kit figure for this week.
No problem.
You spent all night
coming up with band names,
and you didn't take any time
to figure out where we can practice?
Sir, I beg of you!
See how sincere I am?
It's useless to beg me.
Get a note from the department staff.
If you have a note,
then you get a practice hall.
We really need a practice hall.
You don't have a show lined up.
Why do you need it?
- We want to form an ensemble.
- To make money?
- No.
- Forget it.
You need to study and make up for classes.
Get prepared for
the college entrance exams.
Stop wasting your time.
Sir, we're not wasting our time.
We're creating a future for ourselves.
Think of it on the bright side.
I think practicing outdoors
will help us become one with the world.
Then let's think about our first single.
Who said you can use this place?
This is our turf.
Did you ask for permission?
We have to get a note for this place, too?
PRACTICE HALL
I'll give it another shot.
How did it go?
Classical music finishes their practice
at 9:00 p.m. each night.
The guard will secretly
let us use the practice hall for an hour.
The teachers won't be around
at that time anyway.
Good work, kid! How'd you do it?
I simply talked to him sincerely,
man-to-man,
but the guard has one demand.
I'll tell you about it later.
Hey.
You promised Dorm 502
one garage kit figure per week?
- Yeah.
- Are you a rich heiress?
I know my elegance implies I am,
but I'm not.
Do you know how much
a garage kit figure costs?
How expensive can it be?
It's just a doll.
I can just buy a bunch
at the temple fair, right?
Didn't they send you the link?
Please open your eyes
and take a good look.
RMB 765
It's not too late to change your mind.
They took my student ID.
They said if I renege on my promise,
they'll post lost and found fliers,
that will say my student ID
was found in the men's room.
My guess is,
this is all you can afford to eat
for the rest of your life.
This place is eerie.
It's scary.
My friends,
we only have one precious hour.
So let's skip the formalities and rock on.
Should we choose a song then?
I have a suggestion.
There's a famous yangqin piece
called "The General's Order."
It's splendid.
I want to have our band play it.
I don't know it. I've never played it.
You can learn.
Learning a new piece
takes me at least two weeks.
I can't wait that long.
There are only a few ensemble pieces
for folk music.
There are even fewer contemporary songs.
No one's writing them anymore.
What about "The Spring Festival Overture"?
That's too old-school.
Everyone knows it.
We can get into it right away.
It's cheaper for you.
My dear musicians,
it's time to live up to your promise.
You get to practice for 40 minutes.
For the remaining 20 minutes,
you play the music while I sing.
Now...
I'll get started.
"We're not performing music here.
We're marching soldiers of music.
We cut down giant whales
and fight bravely against savages."
Who writes this kind of stuff
in their diary?
It's true.
You're certainly not performing music.
You're just accompaniment players.
Let's see, what else?
- There's more?
- "April 2, rainy.
Spring inevitably invokes woe in me.
I sing softly with a lover by my side."
It's really disgusting.
What are you doing that's so fun?
Can I play?
What do you want?
I want...
to talk reason.
Hey!
We are all teenagers.
We all have things that we cherish.
What's so funny about it?
She writes what she cares about
in her diary,
while you put it in the instrument case.
If you can take someone else's stuff
without permission and make fun of it,
then I can take what you cherish
and have fun with it?
Apologize to her!
Violence cannot stop violence.
However...
I need to teach you girls a lesson,
to treat others the way
you would like to be treated.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sakura!
Are you okay?
She doesn't talk because of them?
You artists are too nice.
From now on,
you can send me to the frontlines
to kill our enemies.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY ME A GARAGE KIT
Whose ring is this?
Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
You're Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
I kneel for you, too!
I've been a fan for the longest time,
Lord of a Thousand Fingers.
I can't believe it's you.
I leave comments on all of your videos.
What did you write?
Say it.
I was mainly trolling.
Aren't you guys going to kneel?
- We've known all along.
- We sometimes play accompaniment for her.
I want to join, too!
I want to join, too!
That song you just played, we can make it
an ensemble piece for the band.
Do you know the name of that song?
It's an ancient style piece.
Have you heard of ancient style music?
What did you get on
your history midterm exam?
I got 66 out of 100.
Not only is it a passing grade,
it's also a lucky number.
You don't know a thing about our music.
It's just a song.
I'm not that bad.
My hands can move as fast as yours.
In order to play ancient style music well,
Xiao-mai has read Chinese history
multiple times.
She's a history buff.
Elite school students have nothing on her!
Beibei and I have been studying
ancient Chinese texts.
Our hope is to write
the most amazing lyrics for Xiao-mai.
Sakura has been studying the history
of Chinese folk music instruments,
from Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties
up to now.
She knows the evolution
of every instrument.
We love folk music.
We love the second dimension.
We love ancient style music.
Those are the things I care about.
You don't know a thing about us.
There's no way I'd let you join us.
Lord of Thousand Fingers, I understand!
I've been living
in the second dimension, too.
I was simply too embarrassed to admit it.
I have an A in history class.
I've read "Romance
of the Three Kingdoms" four times.
That song was called "World Domination."
There's a Spring and Autumn Period version
and a Three Kingdoms version.
I even know there's a new version
about tomb raiding.
I'm a history geek.
IGNORANT HUMANS OF THE THIRD DIMENSION
LONG LIVE THE SECOND DIMENSION
May I join you now?
You traitor!
You're...
too ugly.
Didn't you know?
- In the second dimension...
- Looks are everything.
ROAR
Do they make it into the fortress?
DEATH UPON THOSE WHO GIVE SPOILERS
Flowers blossom on Mount Nan
Moss grow on the fences
Flowers blossom
Covering the mountain every spring
Grass overrun faraway plains
Willow catkins dance in the wind
Grass grows in the field every year
The spring I've been waiting for
Arrives at last
Spring has come, the grass is green
The blooms I've been waiting for
Arrive at last
Blooms have arrived, flowers are red
Beautiful bride akin to flowers
Years flow by like water
Ancient style song "Grass in the Field,"
adapted from "Interrupted Dream,"
a song from Kun opera, "Peony Pavilion."
Not bad, right?
I didn't make a single error, right?
I know all the references.
May I have my membership card now?
You're out of tune.
Years flow by like water
An embrace, embracing the moon
As she bends into a smile
An embrace, embracing the girl
Onto the bridal palanquin
An embrace, embracing the girl
Onto the bridal palanquin
Oh, man! That really tickled the spot!
I love to sing,
but I never got the chance
when I was young.
Thank you, musicians. Thank you.
Don't be so formal with us.
We're glad you're pleased.
What an unforgettable night!
Truly unforgettable.
So...
there's an ACG convention next week.
They've invited me to perform.
That's great! We'll be there.
Do you need help?
Don't we have our own ensemble now?
Why don't we perform together?
What was that, Lord of a Thousand Fingers?
I didn't hear you.
If you don't want to go, then forget it.
ACG convention! We're going to perform
at the ACG convention!
What's an ACG convention?
2016 ACG FESTIVAL
Here we are!
Hi!
Let's go. Hurry!
You two make a great couple.
You can take your wedding photos
in those outfits.
Aren't we going on stage?
We borrowed the outfits
from the folk music department.
I know this isn't the most suitable outfit
for the occasion.
It's all Jing Chen's...
Seven-Colored Islands
Showered in sunlight
Effortless smiles
Long hair flowing
Bursting with joy
Be birds of freedom
Running side by side
Arms wide open for embrace
Breeze dancing upon the face
From now on, let your dreams shine
This is a declaration of youth
Thanks for your applause and support
Thanks for making my heart throb
Moving me beyond words
Thanks for standing by me
You never abandoned me
You never doubted me
You're my dearest friend
When love is the thing I need the most
We make a vow
With the touch of our fingers
To continue our journey together, forever
Thank you S.I.N.G.
for that wonderful performance.
Up next is the 2.5-Dimension Ensemble.
On the guzheng is the Internet celebrity,
a pioneer of ancient style music,
Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
What? Folk music?
Let's welcome them!
What are they wearing?
Are they channeling
the May Fourth Movement?
Why are we subjected to this
at an ACG convention?
Bring S.I.N.G. back on stage!
Folk music reminds me of the temple.
LORD OF A THOUSAND FINGERS
Wait.
Seriously?
Hey, I see a cute guy.
LORD OF A THOUSAND FINGERS
BEING WEAK AND SMALL IS FINE
BECAUSE WE HAVE FRIENDS BY OUR SIDE
Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
Can I have your autograph?
Excuse me! What was that instrument
you were playing?
- I want to learn it.
- Me, too!
It's called a yangqin.
Wow! That's Jing Chen! She's awesome!
- Come and take a look.
- What's up?
She's amazing!
Now, turn to page 36.
Poem title, "Calming the Waves."
"Heed not the sounds of
tree-rattling and leaf-rustling
Why not whistle and chant
while strolling leisurely"
This is a very important poem.
So memorize it.
"A straw cloak is my shield in life
Biting spring breeze sobers up my mind"
- Greaves!
- What?
I plan to drive home the victory.
Don't be too impulsive.
Just watch.
I've already consulted with
Beibei and Tata
on the best tactics
girls comics have to offer.
You consulted them? But...
But can you trust them?
The comics they read are cheesy
and silly as hell.
IT'S MAKE OR BREAK THIS TIME
LEAVE IT TO US
ALL DONE
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A YANGQIN IS NOW,
WEN WANG?
Even a folk musician has fallen for you?
Wen Wang, your charms know no bounds.
Get lost, all of you. I have to practice.
Let's go.
Wen Wang!
Let's take a picture!
- It's beautiful!
- So pretty!
- She's gone nuts again.
- Right?
You guys must have egged her on.
The folk musician girl
is confessing her love!
That's right.
Wen Wang!
I'm really fond of you!
I have answered the question
you asked me last time.
Do you have anything else to say?
If not...
- then let's...
- I do.
I have a problem.
The problem is, I don't like you.
You want a romantic relationship.
I want to study abroad.
We don't even know each other.
Don't sabotage my life, okay?
What's all this about?
Even for a folk musician,
this is way too tacky.
What's wrong with being a folk musician?
Get out of here
before I say something even worse.
I'm not like you guys.
I have my limits.
Hey! What's that supposed to mean?
What's wrong with being a folk musician?
At least Jing Chen has the guts
to confess her love.
You're craven.
All you care about is your future.
Get off of your high horse already!
Would a real gentleman
hurt a little girl like this?
Hey! Don't be so mean!
The problem is with you folk musicians!
Instead of practicing, you waste
your time on all this funny business!
Shut up, all of you!
Grab your weapons! Let's fight!
Protect Jing Chen!
We aren't scared of you! Protect Wen Wang!
Are you happy now?
Don't.
- What was in it?
- Turpentine.
For cleaning the instruments.
Get out of the way!
Do you know what a yangqin is, Wen Wang?
The yangqin was introduced from Persia
into China during the Ming Dynasty.
It shares the same roots as the piano.
The first piano
was invented in Germany in 1709,
but the yangqin has been played in China
for over 400 years!
For over 400 years!
Who are you to look down on her?
Have you truly listened to folk music?
Do you know anything about its history?
If it's so terrible,
why do you think we'd spend
so many years to learn it?
When you go abroad,
don't you want to tell foreigners
how great our own music is?
You can tell them,
you only want to learn their music
because you happen to like it!
Isn't it cooler to say that to their face?
Hey!
When you look back to
your 17-year-old self,
you'll definitely have more regrets
than we do.
Thank you, everyone, for everything.
We're disbanding?
We're done.
Wen Wang knows what a yangqin is now,
and he's clearly rejected me.
I'm content now.
You're so easily content.
That's one of my best qualities.
I always know when to quit
while I'm ahead.
That wasn't a compliment!
Don't you think it's a shame to disband?
We've worked so hard to become a team.
We can still play together.
Let's play something else.
Forget about this band.
Your garage kit figures are too expensive.
I was about to complain
to the consumer protection bureau.
What if we don't ask for
the garage kit figures?
Then what are you doing it for?
I formed the band for Wen Wang.
You guys came for the garage kit figures.
Why stay together
if our objectives are all gone?
I like playing the guzheng.
- We like playing our instrument, too.
- We like playing our instrument, too.
If you don't like the yangqin,
why did you bother learning it
for so many years?
My mom asked me to, so I did.
I'm just easy-going like that.
What about you?
Do you want out, too?
I...
Well...
I've been wanting to tell you guys.
My family wants me to study abroad.
Traitor!
That's right.
You're a traitor.
- I meant you, traitor!
- Me?
- Is it that serious?
- It is.
You treat everything too lightly.
It's one thing for others
to belittle folk music,
but you belittle it, too.
You're content with
trying something new for a minute.
You're so halfhearted about everything!
What do you think life is?
A product sample?
That's right.
That's the kind of person I am.
I don't know why I fell for a jerk
like Wen Wang, and for so long.
I don't know
why I started learning the yangqin.
I just spent so many years on it
without questioning.
Now you know there are people
like me in this world.
Go hang out with the likes of you then.
So what if I like folk music?
You think the handful of us
can bring about a music revolution?
Where's the glory in doing something
that's doomed to fail?
Just admit you want it
for your own gratification.
You're letting all those comics
go to your head.
- Jinx.
- Go away.
You're a traitor.
HOORAY FOR SUMMER VACATION
What are you going to do
about your college, Sakura?
My destiny is in my hands.
Are you going to keep playing erhu?
That can't be!
You can't make a living with that.
Forget it. Don't be upset with her.
Let's watch TV.
I'M WORKING OVERTIME TONIGHT. GET TAKEOUT.
LOCK THE DOORS BEFORE GOING TO BED. MOM.
- Sorry, I'm late.
- What happened?
You're always late,
ever since you got a boyfriend.
Why are you still dressed
like that, Beibei?
Do you think you're still 13 years old?
Do you know how crazy you look?
She likes it.
Why don't we just let her be?
You've spoilt her rotten!
Let's go.
Pass the exams!
One more time!
Pass the exams!
And how will you pass the exams?
Open our eyes and face our competition!
A year of hardship for a life of success!
Good! With this level of passion,
let's open your books.
My goodness! You scared me.
Okay. It's off.
I don't want to play the yangqin anymore.
Mom, I said,
I don't want to play the yangqin anymore.
- Say something.
- I heard you.
What reaction were you expecting?
Should I be happy or mad?
Weren't you the one
who wanted me to play the yangqin?
- Who told you that?
- Dad.
- He did?
- Yeah.
He was in so much pain that day.
He got confused.
YEAR 1998
Stop screaming!
Who's the one having the baby here?
- Both of us.
- If she won't come out, I'm going to die!
You can't die.
We must have this baby.
Push harder!
Come on.
Push.
- What's wrong?
- You sound terrible!
Push.
Push!
Push!
Here she comes!
You want to quit playing the yangqin,
but it's not up to you.
Why not?
Because it guided you to this world.
It's been in your life for 11 years.
You're destined to be together.
Now you don't want it anymore,
but you still have an emotional bond.
Talk to your yangqin.
If it agrees, then it's fine with me.
I won't object.
My back to the stars
I don't want to make wishes anymore
With my cloak on
I shall fly on my own
I want to be proud of the real me
Even if I can only pass by
The sky you inhabit in my dreams
Love fuels the shimmer
There's no need for doubts
Time to start anew
Regrets mean nothing
What will my life gain in the end?
As I sing and sing the song of youth
The school has started again.
It's time to focus on your schoolwork.
I have two announcements.
First, the Education Bureau is holding
a youth concert
for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Students in the classical music department
must take this opportunity
to make our school proud.
Second, after extensive
internal discussions,
the high school's folk music department
will stop admitting students next year.
We made the decision because we want
to be responsible to the students.
I hope the current folk music students
will make the best out of their time here.
You'll stop admitting students
because it isn't popular?
If the school stops teaching it,
won't it become even less popular?
Isn't this a vicious cycle?
Please sit down.
Perhaps in a few years,
there won't be a single student
of folk music left!
Folk music isn't popular
and it hasn't got any appeal.
Is that something
the school can solve alone?
- Will you sit down first?
- Fine.
I want to volunteer to perform
at the youth concert.
If you won't promote folk music,
then I will.
The concert is for ensembles,
not for solo performers.
Sit down.
- We have an ensemble.
- You do?
Where is it?
- Right here.
- Right here.
Please! That's no ensemble.
You're more like a backing band.
Sit down, all of you!
Sir, we have an ensemble now.
So, can we perform in the concert?
This performance is about
the school's reputation.
The school orchestra
has been practicing non-stop.
Do you think your ragtag ensemble
can perform on par with them?
Who will shoulder the blame,
if anything goes wrong?
How can we let you ruin
the school's collective reputation?
You're dismissed!
Come on!
This is about representing our school.
- Why should we let you drag us down?
- Shut up already.
We've put up with you guys for so long.
Who are you to decide
if we can perform on stage?
Watch your mouth!
You're just a bunch of amateurs!
Who are you calling amateurs?
Our music was passed down
by our ancestors.
You're learning foreigners' music.
Maybe you should go and find
a foreigner dad while you're at it!
Calm down, everyone.
If we fight here, we'll all get punished.
Why should we throw away
our bright future for the likes of you?
Let's go.
Hey!
You look down on folk music, don't you?
We can't always resort to fighting.
Why don't you pick up your instruments
and go head-to-head with us?
A music face-off?
Any one of us could
take you all down, okay?
What a foul statement! How long
has it been since you brushed your teeth?
You're just inviting humiliation.
- You'll know humiliation when we're done.
- Sure.
Let's do it.
When you lose, you'll have to admit
a certain music is superior.
If you lose, all of you
must perform on the footbridge,
and we'll film the whole thing
on our phones.
- I dare you!
- No problem!
A bet is a bet.
But if you lose, will you do the same?
How can we possibly lose?
Just don't chicken out
when the time comes.
Why would we chicken out?
In the future, we might have to go
to a museum to see your instruments.
CHALLENGE: FACE-OFF ON INSPECTION DAY
DON'T CHICKEN OUT
A declaration of war? Interesting.
They're asking for it.
Have they lost their minds?
- Are they that desperate?
- What should we do?
Why should we play along?
"Let my music be the soundtrack of war."
Chopin said that.
This is our music building.
Around this time of day,
students are usually in practice.
We're very strict with discipline.
Rowdy behavior and crowd gathering
are not allowed in the practice rooms.
There is a strong sense of artistry.
That's right.
What's this?
The folk music practice area
is behind that gate.
That's to prevent conflicts
between the departments.
Is that so?
Both sides are practically
the same, actually.
There's virtually no difference.
So we can skip that part of the building.
Shall we visit the classical music area?
Sure.
Is this part of the tour?
Oh, yes. Pretty good.
Go back to the practice room.
No one came out.
I knew it! Their guts are smaller
than flea droppings.
What do we do?
Just wait. I'm sure someone
won't be able to hold back.
Young lady, do you have something to say?
Musicians can be a bit eccentric.
Maybe she's too engrossed in her music.
Very good. It's refreshing.
It's East meets West.
Why would you put up a gate?
It's useless.
There's no such thing
as conflict in music. Am I right?
Yes, sir.
Take down the gate.
It's a sanctuary of art.
- Why make it look like a prison?
- Right. We'll take it down.
The inspection concerns
our school's reputation.
How could you be so reckless?
I'm giving you all a verbal citation.
Those of you folk music kids,
I know you're eager to prove yourselves,
but the school isn't your playground.
If you want to prove yourself,
you have to do it in a legitimate way.
You're dismissed!
My fellow musicians?
So...
when is the footbridge performance?
However, it was a nicely fought battle.
- We were so very close.
- That's right.
Each and every one of you
is a worthy opponent.
So, you do have another option.
Did any of you catch that?
Our current ensemble is missing
an instrument.
Chime bells! We're missing chime bells.
I can't think of a solution
for chime bells right now.
Percussionists, compensate somehow
when we get there.
It won't be perfect,
but it'll be better than nothing.
I'm sorry, my dear musicians.
I was just going to listen in for fun,
but I overheard
you are missing something,
so I couldn't help but jump in.
This set of chime bells was brought in
when the municipal folk music ensemble
disbanded 20 years ago.
They've sat here ever since.
No one's moved them.
After all these years,
no one remembers they exist anymore.
Will you guys be able to play them?
It's ready!
Greaves, drop in some tofu.
Veggies!
Put some food in.
I'm busy.
LORD OF A THOUSAND FINGERS NEEDS YOU
USE SECOND DIMENSION'S POWER
TO AWAKE THE MUNDANE THIRD DIMENSION
Lord of a Thousand Fingers
has summoned me!
Lord of a Thousand Fingers
has summoned me!
LET FOLK MUSIC ECHO ACROSS
NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
- Look here, Mister!
- I want this!
- So pretty.
- This one.
- Look here.
- I want this feather and this skirt.
Let's buy it together.
Our musical feast is about to begin.
I'm sure the kids who are here today
will be touched by the magic of music.
I believe some of the children here today
will be up on this stage someday,
and carry forward the beautiful melodies.
Twinkling and shining like stars
We don't know that
Those are little fireflies
Flying here and there
Mom, look!
Their outfits are so funny-looking!
Don't you be like them when you grow up.
Eyes front.
Each and every one of you
is a worthy opponent.
It was a nicely fought battle.
We were so very close.
So, you do have another option.
Do us a favor.
Come on. Hand me your passes.
- Here.
- Be careful.
Keep it safe.
They're in your hands now.
Let's go.
Next is the last performance of the night,
Mozart's "Piano Concerto No. 27."
Please welcome students from
the teen orchestra
of the Affiliated High School
of Zhongxia Music Academy.
First-chair pianist, Wen Wang.
First-chair violinist, You-en Zheng.
Here they come.
Hurry!
Who are you guys?
There's a surprise performance?
This isn't in the program.
They're ready, Wen Wang.
What's going on? It's a different group.
Good luck.
Enjoy the show!
I suppress the urge to sing
The Song of the Great Wind
Thinking back to my youthful days
The ancestors are wise
The valiant always meet a bad end
- Let me do it.
- Sure!
Greaves,
how much did the mosquitoes pay you
to bring me here?
I hear fireflies like to gather
at this park at night.
I love plenty of things.
I love celebrities too.
Why don't you take me
to their house for a visit?
Why do you like fireflies?
Because fireflies glow.
The department chair's head glows, too.
Because fireflies are cool.
- Are they?
- Yes.
Fireflies are such tiny creatures.
They should be hiding
to protect their lives.
Instead, they insist on glowing
for everyone to see.
So I'm a firefly.
- Hey, Jinx?
- Yes?
I read in a book,
fireflies glow because
they want to attract a mate.
Did you get the wrong idea?
It's so eerie here.
I don't see any fireflies.
A ghost might show up instead.
All right, I'm leaving. You can stay.
I have something to tell you.
Go ahead.
What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?
Where's your phone?
Check your photos on the social media app.
Look closely.
What's wrong? They're all selfies.
I take selfies
because I have confidence in myself.
This is me, and this is how I look.
Why did you send so many messages?
That's how you look to me.
Why don't you say something?
Send me the original photos.
Why don't you save the photos?
It's okay. I don't need to.
You can always take more in the future.
Let's go.
I can't believe we're too late this year.
I was hoping to see
the fireflies with you.
It's never too late!
We still have plenty of summers together.
Wait. Aren't we moving a little fast?
Look!
- Are you ready?
- Yes.
Okay.
WELCOME NEW STUDENTS
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF MUSIC
Lord of a Thousand Fingers! Sorry.
I can't pick it up!
Fa-so-la-so
Again.
I'm laughing alone.
All by myself.
It's Jing Chen!
Watch your pronunciation.
Jinx Chen,
I'm playing "The Song of the Phoenix."
Can you please cooperate
and liven up a little?
Dude, it sounds like a funeral march.
How can I liven it up?
There's a fight!
It's folk music versus classical music!
Let's go help!
He won't get out of here alive!
What's going on?
That kid, the cellist,
stirred up trouble last week.
Power Cellist: Folk music kids,
I chanced upon your future today.
# FolkMusic #StreetMusicianOnBridge
I'LL GIVE YOU A REAL POKE, KID
Say it!
Folk music rules!
Let's go back.
Come on, back to "Song of the Phoenix".
MUSIC IS THE GREATEST
Hey, Jinx Chen, wipe your drool already.
You have drool on your face.
I'm trying to practice here!
Don't make me hurt you!
RULES FOR STUDENTS: DEPARTMENTS
MUST PRACTICE IN THEIR OWN AREAS
NO FIGHTING
NO MIXING OF PRACTICE ROOMS
NO EATING AND DRINKING
PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES OF PRACTICE HALL
FROM THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Jinx, your crush on Wen Wang
is becoming an obsession.
You should try to put it out of your mind.
How? Where should I put it?
In a bank? Can it accumulate interest?
In all of our years at the school,
have you heard of any dating rumors
between classical and folk music people?
None whatsoever!
Classical kids think we're bumpkins.
We think they're snobs.
The two departments are like
Romeo and Juliet's families.
We're sworn enemies.
Do you think a simple metal gate
can stop my love?
Plus, both sides were in the fight.
We're all guilty for violating the rules,
but we're the only ones
who got segregated.
What is this? Discrimination?
I'm helping Jing Chen with the water.
She can't carry it by herself.
Why does it smell like meat in here?
That's what he smells like.
He must've bathed himself in lard.
No eating in the practice room.
Okay.
They always check up on
the folk music practice rooms,
as if we're always up to no good.
They never check up on
the classical music's practice rooms.
You're so heartless and conscienceless,
you must weigh next to nothing?
Don't block the windows!
Would you like some?
Xiao Sun, the violinist in junior class,
has been accepted by
the Curtis Institute of Music in the U.S.
Let's give him a round of applause.
Xiao Sun has paved a bright future
for his music career.
Meanwhile, some students
are wasting their days away.
Right now, I must bring two students
to your attention.
Jing Chen, sophomore yangqin player,
and You Li, sophomore folk percussionist.
These two students
desecrated the sacred practice room,
by using the water cooler as a hotpot.
They abused school property,
in open defiance of school policies.
The water cooler as a hotpot?
I'll post a tutorial
in our group chat later.
Nice.
Hello, folk music kids!
Our orchestra is performing
at Zhongshan Hall this week.
Our senior pianist, Wen Wang,
needs a page-turner.
None of us can do it for him.
Can anyone from folk music lend a hand?
Lunch is provided.
So, what?
We can earn more
by moving bricks for half a day.
What makes you think
us folk music kids would do it?
I'll go! What's the date? Time? Attire?
- Sorry.
- Watch where you're going!
So sorry.
What's a folk music kid doing here?
She's a page-turner.
I need to tune properly.
Even if she doesn't open her mouth,
she might make me go out of tune.
May I sit here?
My violin is worth a fortune.
Is it worth more than me?
It is.
ZHONGSHAN MUSIC HALL
And now, "Prokofiev's
Piano Concerto No. 2,"
with Wen Wang on the piano.
Turn the page.
See you later, Wen Wang.
Wen Wang!
Hey!
What are you doing?
I like you.
What's your name?
My name is Jing Chen. I'm a sophomore.
You're a year below me?
- What do you study?
- Yangqin.
That's an instrument?
Huh?
Of course, it is.
I'm going abroad next year.
My behavior here affects my standing
with the school abroad.
We've never crossed paths before.
Please just leave me alone.
Wen Wang!
The bus is leaving. Let's go.
Your emotional interpretation sounded
different on the second movement today.
You noticed?
Hey, page-turner!
Why are you still here?
The bus is leaving.
What's a yangqin?
It's a traditional Chinese
string instrument,
introduced to China from Persia,
during the Ming Dynasty.
It shares the same roots as the piano.
Same roots!
Theoretically, we play
the same kind of instruments.
You've been grumbling all afternoon.
I have to practice.
Give me a smoke.
I've suffered a romantic setback.
I want to be bad.
He's a musician,
but he doesn't know what a yangqin is?
What gives him the right to mock me
and say I'm a bumpkin?
It's so unfair.
Greaves, got any inspirational songs?
Play me something.
What kind?
The kind that will help me
get back on my feet,
forget the past,
and forget the shame.
I want to take my scars with me
and start anew.
Greaves...
I understand now.
Out of my way.
I'll get on stage.
I'll make sure Wen Wang remembers
what a yangqin is!
You want to join
the school's folk music ensemble?
Didn't you attend the department
meeting this week?
So you were there physically,
but your ears were resting at home.
The ensemble's been disbanded.
Why would you want to join?
Even if it wasn't disbanded,
the quality of our ensemble
is embarrassing.
Forget the concert hall,
it's not even good enough
for public square dancers.
Why don't we start an ensemble?
We'll con some younger kids into joining.
WE WANT YOU! YOU! YOU!
College entrance exams are a year away.
If I don't bust my butt studying now,
how will I get into a proper university?
This is my performing schedule this month.
I'm not trying to show off,
but I'm busier than a C-list celebrity.
Don't spend so much time making money.
We're in the prime of our youth.
If we get caught up
planning for the future,
how can we live in the present?
Trust me.
Jing Chen, you're known for
your foolish and reckless blunders.
When you speak,
I can't even trust your punctuation.
Hey! I didn't even make fun
of your so-called instrument!
How dare you!
I want to set sail into a new world,
but I've got no crew.
You have me.
A Tang drum percussionist
and a yangqin player.
What kind of a band is that?
There's no soul.
There's one last resort.
Speak.
These kids don't study
or have part-time jobs.
Have you forgotten about that dormitory?
Dorm 502.
They're all folk music students.
They may be folk music students,
but I don't think they're even human.
This is as far as I can accompany you,
my friend.
They may be freshmen, but...
Don't be afraid, they're just obsessed
with the second dimension, that's all.
What does that mean?
They love everything ACG.
Animation, comics, and games.
That's all they're into. Nothing else.
How do you know all that?
I'm a learned man.
HUMANS STAY AWAY
- I'll take them from the left.
- Ha!
Get them off from the back.
Excuse me.
I DON'T KNOW YOU
DON'T SPEAK TO ME
That's Sakura. She doesn't like to talk.
You don't hate talking, do you?
Talking can help you lose weight.
I hear you can burn 33.5 calories
by talking for an hour.
I'm Jing Chen. I'm a sophomore,
and I play the yangqin.
What are your names?
I'm Beibei-chan.
I'm Tata-chan.
I've only ever had strawberry
and peanut butter jam.
What do you want with us?
Do you want to join...
You!
Do you want to exit through the door
or the window?
SHUT THE DOOR ON YOUR WAY OUT
If they reject you,
your last resort is these two words.
Garage kit.
Keep talking.
If you're willing to join,
I'll buy each of you an original
garage kit figure of your choosing.
And I'll throw in a year of Internet fees.
Keep talking.
Isn't that enough?
A garage kit figure per week?
Welcome, my friend.
Put your phones down for a moment.
Let's communicate like human beings.
Who's this guy?
I'm You Li. I'm the percussionist.
My secretary.
Why don't we come up with
a name for our band?
It took me all night last night
to come up with two names.
Number one,
The Magical Cacophony.
Doesn't it have a powerful punch?
No problem.
Goddesses of Folk Music...
How's that? It's East meets West.
Good for all ages.
What about me?
Do you have any suggestion?
- 2.5 Dimension.
- What does that mean?
We're elites from the second dimension.
You and that guy represent
the third dimension.
- As in, you're regular human beings.
- So together...
We're 2.5 Dimension.
Why don't we just call it
Close Encounters with the Ghostly Kind?
Don't leave.
It's a peaceful society!
We can talk things out!
2.5 Dimension.
Not bad.
Anyway,
I've already sent you the link
to the garage kit figure for this week.
No problem.
You spent all night
coming up with band names,
and you didn't take any time
to figure out where we can practice?
Sir, I beg of you!
See how sincere I am?
It's useless to beg me.
Get a note from the department staff.
If you have a note,
then you get a practice hall.
We really need a practice hall.
You don't have a show lined up.
Why do you need it?
- We want to form an ensemble.
- To make money?
- No.
- Forget it.
You need to study and make up for classes.
Get prepared for
the college entrance exams.
Stop wasting your time.
Sir, we're not wasting our time.
We're creating a future for ourselves.
Think of it on the bright side.
I think practicing outdoors
will help us become one with the world.
Then let's think about our first single.
Who said you can use this place?
This is our turf.
Did you ask for permission?
We have to get a note for this place, too?
PRACTICE HALL
I'll give it another shot.
How did it go?
Classical music finishes their practice
at 9:00 p.m. each night.
The guard will secretly
let us use the practice hall for an hour.
The teachers won't be around
at that time anyway.
Good work, kid! How'd you do it?
I simply talked to him sincerely,
man-to-man,
but the guard has one demand.
I'll tell you about it later.
Hey.
You promised Dorm 502
one garage kit figure per week?
- Yeah.
- Are you a rich heiress?
I know my elegance implies I am,
but I'm not.
Do you know how much
a garage kit figure costs?
How expensive can it be?
It's just a doll.
I can just buy a bunch
at the temple fair, right?
Didn't they send you the link?
Please open your eyes
and take a good look.
RMB 765
It's not too late to change your mind.
They took my student ID.
They said if I renege on my promise,
they'll post lost and found fliers,
that will say my student ID
was found in the men's room.
My guess is,
this is all you can afford to eat
for the rest of your life.
This place is eerie.
It's scary.
My friends,
we only have one precious hour.
So let's skip the formalities and rock on.
Should we choose a song then?
I have a suggestion.
There's a famous yangqin piece
called "The General's Order."
It's splendid.
I want to have our band play it.
I don't know it. I've never played it.
You can learn.
Learning a new piece
takes me at least two weeks.
I can't wait that long.
There are only a few ensemble pieces
for folk music.
There are even fewer contemporary songs.
No one's writing them anymore.
What about "The Spring Festival Overture"?
That's too old-school.
Everyone knows it.
We can get into it right away.
It's cheaper for you.
My dear musicians,
it's time to live up to your promise.
You get to practice for 40 minutes.
For the remaining 20 minutes,
you play the music while I sing.
Now...
I'll get started.
"We're not performing music here.
We're marching soldiers of music.
We cut down giant whales
and fight bravely against savages."
Who writes this kind of stuff
in their diary?
It's true.
You're certainly not performing music.
You're just accompaniment players.
Let's see, what else?
- There's more?
- "April 2, rainy.
Spring inevitably invokes woe in me.
I sing softly with a lover by my side."
It's really disgusting.
What are you doing that's so fun?
Can I play?
What do you want?
I want...
to talk reason.
Hey!
We are all teenagers.
We all have things that we cherish.
What's so funny about it?
She writes what she cares about
in her diary,
while you put it in the instrument case.
If you can take someone else's stuff
without permission and make fun of it,
then I can take what you cherish
and have fun with it?
Apologize to her!
Violence cannot stop violence.
However...
I need to teach you girls a lesson,
to treat others the way
you would like to be treated.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sakura!
Are you okay?
She doesn't talk because of them?
You artists are too nice.
From now on,
you can send me to the frontlines
to kill our enemies.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY ME A GARAGE KIT
Whose ring is this?
Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
You're Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
I kneel for you, too!
I've been a fan for the longest time,
Lord of a Thousand Fingers.
I can't believe it's you.
I leave comments on all of your videos.
What did you write?
Say it.
I was mainly trolling.
Aren't you guys going to kneel?
- We've known all along.
- We sometimes play accompaniment for her.
I want to join, too!
I want to join, too!
That song you just played, we can make it
an ensemble piece for the band.
Do you know the name of that song?
It's an ancient style piece.
Have you heard of ancient style music?
What did you get on
your history midterm exam?
I got 66 out of 100.
Not only is it a passing grade,
it's also a lucky number.
You don't know a thing about our music.
It's just a song.
I'm not that bad.
My hands can move as fast as yours.
In order to play ancient style music well,
Xiao-mai has read Chinese history
multiple times.
She's a history buff.
Elite school students have nothing on her!
Beibei and I have been studying
ancient Chinese texts.
Our hope is to write
the most amazing lyrics for Xiao-mai.
Sakura has been studying the history
of Chinese folk music instruments,
from Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties
up to now.
She knows the evolution
of every instrument.
We love folk music.
We love the second dimension.
We love ancient style music.
Those are the things I care about.
You don't know a thing about us.
There's no way I'd let you join us.
Lord of Thousand Fingers, I understand!
I've been living
in the second dimension, too.
I was simply too embarrassed to admit it.
I have an A in history class.
I've read "Romance
of the Three Kingdoms" four times.
That song was called "World Domination."
There's a Spring and Autumn Period version
and a Three Kingdoms version.
I even know there's a new version
about tomb raiding.
I'm a history geek.
IGNORANT HUMANS OF THE THIRD DIMENSION
LONG LIVE THE SECOND DIMENSION
May I join you now?
You traitor!
You're...
too ugly.
Didn't you know?
- In the second dimension...
- Looks are everything.
ROAR
Do they make it into the fortress?
DEATH UPON THOSE WHO GIVE SPOILERS
Flowers blossom on Mount Nan
Moss grow on the fences
Flowers blossom
Covering the mountain every spring
Grass overrun faraway plains
Willow catkins dance in the wind
Grass grows in the field every year
The spring I've been waiting for
Arrives at last
Spring has come, the grass is green
The blooms I've been waiting for
Arrive at last
Blooms have arrived, flowers are red
Beautiful bride akin to flowers
Years flow by like water
Ancient style song "Grass in the Field,"
adapted from "Interrupted Dream,"
a song from Kun opera, "Peony Pavilion."
Not bad, right?
I didn't make a single error, right?
I know all the references.
May I have my membership card now?
You're out of tune.
Years flow by like water
An embrace, embracing the moon
As she bends into a smile
An embrace, embracing the girl
Onto the bridal palanquin
An embrace, embracing the girl
Onto the bridal palanquin
Oh, man! That really tickled the spot!
I love to sing,
but I never got the chance
when I was young.
Thank you, musicians. Thank you.
Don't be so formal with us.
We're glad you're pleased.
What an unforgettable night!
Truly unforgettable.
So...
there's an ACG convention next week.
They've invited me to perform.
That's great! We'll be there.
Do you need help?
Don't we have our own ensemble now?
Why don't we perform together?
What was that, Lord of a Thousand Fingers?
I didn't hear you.
If you don't want to go, then forget it.
ACG convention! We're going to perform
at the ACG convention!
What's an ACG convention?
2016 ACG FESTIVAL
Here we are!
Hi!
Let's go. Hurry!
You two make a great couple.
You can take your wedding photos
in those outfits.
Aren't we going on stage?
We borrowed the outfits
from the folk music department.
I know this isn't the most suitable outfit
for the occasion.
It's all Jing Chen's...
Seven-Colored Islands
Showered in sunlight
Effortless smiles
Long hair flowing
Bursting with joy
Be birds of freedom
Running side by side
Arms wide open for embrace
Breeze dancing upon the face
From now on, let your dreams shine
This is a declaration of youth
Thanks for your applause and support
Thanks for making my heart throb
Moving me beyond words
Thanks for standing by me
You never abandoned me
You never doubted me
You're my dearest friend
When love is the thing I need the most
We make a vow
With the touch of our fingers
To continue our journey together, forever
Thank you S.I.N.G.
for that wonderful performance.
Up next is the 2.5-Dimension Ensemble.
On the guzheng is the Internet celebrity,
a pioneer of ancient style music,
Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
What? Folk music?
Let's welcome them!
What are they wearing?
Are they channeling
the May Fourth Movement?
Why are we subjected to this
at an ACG convention?
Bring S.I.N.G. back on stage!
Folk music reminds me of the temple.
LORD OF A THOUSAND FINGERS
Wait.
Seriously?
Hey, I see a cute guy.
LORD OF A THOUSAND FINGERS
BEING WEAK AND SMALL IS FINE
BECAUSE WE HAVE FRIENDS BY OUR SIDE
Lord of a Thousand Fingers!
Can I have your autograph?
Excuse me! What was that instrument
you were playing?
- I want to learn it.
- Me, too!
It's called a yangqin.
Wow! That's Jing Chen! She's awesome!
- Come and take a look.
- What's up?
She's amazing!
Now, turn to page 36.
Poem title, "Calming the Waves."
"Heed not the sounds of
tree-rattling and leaf-rustling
Why not whistle and chant
while strolling leisurely"
This is a very important poem.
So memorize it.
"A straw cloak is my shield in life
Biting spring breeze sobers up my mind"
- Greaves!
- What?
I plan to drive home the victory.
Don't be too impulsive.
Just watch.
I've already consulted with
Beibei and Tata
on the best tactics
girls comics have to offer.
You consulted them? But...
But can you trust them?
The comics they read are cheesy
and silly as hell.
IT'S MAKE OR BREAK THIS TIME
LEAVE IT TO US
ALL DONE
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A YANGQIN IS NOW,
WEN WANG?
Even a folk musician has fallen for you?
Wen Wang, your charms know no bounds.
Get lost, all of you. I have to practice.
Let's go.
Wen Wang!
Let's take a picture!
- It's beautiful!
- So pretty!
- She's gone nuts again.
- Right?
You guys must have egged her on.
The folk musician girl
is confessing her love!
That's right.
Wen Wang!
I'm really fond of you!
I have answered the question
you asked me last time.
Do you have anything else to say?
If not...
- then let's...
- I do.
I have a problem.
The problem is, I don't like you.
You want a romantic relationship.
I want to study abroad.
We don't even know each other.
Don't sabotage my life, okay?
What's all this about?
Even for a folk musician,
this is way too tacky.
What's wrong with being a folk musician?
Get out of here
before I say something even worse.
I'm not like you guys.
I have my limits.
Hey! What's that supposed to mean?
What's wrong with being a folk musician?
At least Jing Chen has the guts
to confess her love.
You're craven.
All you care about is your future.
Get off of your high horse already!
Would a real gentleman
hurt a little girl like this?
Hey! Don't be so mean!
The problem is with you folk musicians!
Instead of practicing, you waste
your time on all this funny business!
Shut up, all of you!
Grab your weapons! Let's fight!
Protect Jing Chen!
We aren't scared of you! Protect Wen Wang!
Are you happy now?
Don't.
- What was in it?
- Turpentine.
For cleaning the instruments.
Get out of the way!
Do you know what a yangqin is, Wen Wang?
The yangqin was introduced from Persia
into China during the Ming Dynasty.
It shares the same roots as the piano.
The first piano
was invented in Germany in 1709,
but the yangqin has been played in China
for over 400 years!
For over 400 years!
Who are you to look down on her?
Have you truly listened to folk music?
Do you know anything about its history?
If it's so terrible,
why do you think we'd spend
so many years to learn it?
When you go abroad,
don't you want to tell foreigners
how great our own music is?
You can tell them,
you only want to learn their music
because you happen to like it!
Isn't it cooler to say that to their face?
Hey!
When you look back to
your 17-year-old self,
you'll definitely have more regrets
than we do.
Thank you, everyone, for everything.
We're disbanding?
We're done.
Wen Wang knows what a yangqin is now,
and he's clearly rejected me.
I'm content now.
You're so easily content.
That's one of my best qualities.
I always know when to quit
while I'm ahead.
That wasn't a compliment!
Don't you think it's a shame to disband?
We've worked so hard to become a team.
We can still play together.
Let's play something else.
Forget about this band.
Your garage kit figures are too expensive.
I was about to complain
to the consumer protection bureau.
What if we don't ask for
the garage kit figures?
Then what are you doing it for?
I formed the band for Wen Wang.
You guys came for the garage kit figures.
Why stay together
if our objectives are all gone?
I like playing the guzheng.
- We like playing our instrument, too.
- We like playing our instrument, too.
If you don't like the yangqin,
why did you bother learning it
for so many years?
My mom asked me to, so I did.
I'm just easy-going like that.
What about you?
Do you want out, too?
I...
Well...
I've been wanting to tell you guys.
My family wants me to study abroad.
Traitor!
That's right.
You're a traitor.
- I meant you, traitor!
- Me?
- Is it that serious?
- It is.
You treat everything too lightly.
It's one thing for others
to belittle folk music,
but you belittle it, too.
You're content with
trying something new for a minute.
You're so halfhearted about everything!
What do you think life is?
A product sample?
That's right.
That's the kind of person I am.
I don't know why I fell for a jerk
like Wen Wang, and for so long.
I don't know
why I started learning the yangqin.
I just spent so many years on it
without questioning.
Now you know there are people
like me in this world.
Go hang out with the likes of you then.
So what if I like folk music?
You think the handful of us
can bring about a music revolution?
Where's the glory in doing something
that's doomed to fail?
Just admit you want it
for your own gratification.
You're letting all those comics
go to your head.
- Jinx.
- Go away.
You're a traitor.
HOORAY FOR SUMMER VACATION
What are you going to do
about your college, Sakura?
My destiny is in my hands.
Are you going to keep playing erhu?
That can't be!
You can't make a living with that.
Forget it. Don't be upset with her.
Let's watch TV.
I'M WORKING OVERTIME TONIGHT. GET TAKEOUT.
LOCK THE DOORS BEFORE GOING TO BED. MOM.
- Sorry, I'm late.
- What happened?
You're always late,
ever since you got a boyfriend.
Why are you still dressed
like that, Beibei?
Do you think you're still 13 years old?
Do you know how crazy you look?
She likes it.
Why don't we just let her be?
You've spoilt her rotten!
Let's go.
Pass the exams!
One more time!
Pass the exams!
And how will you pass the exams?
Open our eyes and face our competition!
A year of hardship for a life of success!
Good! With this level of passion,
let's open your books.
My goodness! You scared me.
Okay. It's off.
I don't want to play the yangqin anymore.
Mom, I said,
I don't want to play the yangqin anymore.
- Say something.
- I heard you.
What reaction were you expecting?
Should I be happy or mad?
Weren't you the one
who wanted me to play the yangqin?
- Who told you that?
- Dad.
- He did?
- Yeah.
He was in so much pain that day.
He got confused.
YEAR 1998
Stop screaming!
Who's the one having the baby here?
- Both of us.
- If she won't come out, I'm going to die!
You can't die.
We must have this baby.
Push harder!
Come on.
Push.
- What's wrong?
- You sound terrible!
Push.
Push!
Push!
Here she comes!
You want to quit playing the yangqin,
but it's not up to you.
Why not?
Because it guided you to this world.
It's been in your life for 11 years.
You're destined to be together.
Now you don't want it anymore,
but you still have an emotional bond.
Talk to your yangqin.
If it agrees, then it's fine with me.
I won't object.
My back to the stars
I don't want to make wishes anymore
With my cloak on
I shall fly on my own
I want to be proud of the real me
Even if I can only pass by
The sky you inhabit in my dreams
Love fuels the shimmer
There's no need for doubts
Time to start anew
Regrets mean nothing
What will my life gain in the end?
As I sing and sing the song of youth
The school has started again.
It's time to focus on your schoolwork.
I have two announcements.
First, the Education Bureau is holding
a youth concert
for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Students in the classical music department
must take this opportunity
to make our school proud.
Second, after extensive
internal discussions,
the high school's folk music department
will stop admitting students next year.
We made the decision because we want
to be responsible to the students.
I hope the current folk music students
will make the best out of their time here.
You'll stop admitting students
because it isn't popular?
If the school stops teaching it,
won't it become even less popular?
Isn't this a vicious cycle?
Please sit down.
Perhaps in a few years,
there won't be a single student
of folk music left!
Folk music isn't popular
and it hasn't got any appeal.
Is that something
the school can solve alone?
- Will you sit down first?
- Fine.
I want to volunteer to perform
at the youth concert.
If you won't promote folk music,
then I will.
The concert is for ensembles,
not for solo performers.
Sit down.
- We have an ensemble.
- You do?
Where is it?
- Right here.
- Right here.
Please! That's no ensemble.
You're more like a backing band.
Sit down, all of you!
Sir, we have an ensemble now.
So, can we perform in the concert?
This performance is about
the school's reputation.
The school orchestra
has been practicing non-stop.
Do you think your ragtag ensemble
can perform on par with them?
Who will shoulder the blame,
if anything goes wrong?
How can we let you ruin
the school's collective reputation?
You're dismissed!
Come on!
This is about representing our school.
- Why should we let you drag us down?
- Shut up already.
We've put up with you guys for so long.
Who are you to decide
if we can perform on stage?
Watch your mouth!
You're just a bunch of amateurs!
Who are you calling amateurs?
Our music was passed down
by our ancestors.
You're learning foreigners' music.
Maybe you should go and find
a foreigner dad while you're at it!
Calm down, everyone.
If we fight here, we'll all get punished.
Why should we throw away
our bright future for the likes of you?
Let's go.
Hey!
You look down on folk music, don't you?
We can't always resort to fighting.
Why don't you pick up your instruments
and go head-to-head with us?
A music face-off?
Any one of us could
take you all down, okay?
What a foul statement! How long
has it been since you brushed your teeth?
You're just inviting humiliation.
- You'll know humiliation when we're done.
- Sure.
Let's do it.
When you lose, you'll have to admit
a certain music is superior.
If you lose, all of you
must perform on the footbridge,
and we'll film the whole thing
on our phones.
- I dare you!
- No problem!
A bet is a bet.
But if you lose, will you do the same?
How can we possibly lose?
Just don't chicken out
when the time comes.
Why would we chicken out?
In the future, we might have to go
to a museum to see your instruments.
CHALLENGE: FACE-OFF ON INSPECTION DAY
DON'T CHICKEN OUT
A declaration of war? Interesting.
They're asking for it.
Have they lost their minds?
- Are they that desperate?
- What should we do?
Why should we play along?
"Let my music be the soundtrack of war."
Chopin said that.
This is our music building.
Around this time of day,
students are usually in practice.
We're very strict with discipline.
Rowdy behavior and crowd gathering
are not allowed in the practice rooms.
There is a strong sense of artistry.
That's right.
What's this?
The folk music practice area
is behind that gate.
That's to prevent conflicts
between the departments.
Is that so?
Both sides are practically
the same, actually.
There's virtually no difference.
So we can skip that part of the building.
Shall we visit the classical music area?
Sure.
Is this part of the tour?
Oh, yes. Pretty good.
Go back to the practice room.
No one came out.
I knew it! Their guts are smaller
than flea droppings.
What do we do?
Just wait. I'm sure someone
won't be able to hold back.
Young lady, do you have something to say?
Musicians can be a bit eccentric.
Maybe she's too engrossed in her music.
Very good. It's refreshing.
It's East meets West.
Why would you put up a gate?
It's useless.
There's no such thing
as conflict in music. Am I right?
Yes, sir.
Take down the gate.
It's a sanctuary of art.
- Why make it look like a prison?
- Right. We'll take it down.
The inspection concerns
our school's reputation.
How could you be so reckless?
I'm giving you all a verbal citation.
Those of you folk music kids,
I know you're eager to prove yourselves,
but the school isn't your playground.
If you want to prove yourself,
you have to do it in a legitimate way.
You're dismissed!
My fellow musicians?
So...
when is the footbridge performance?
However, it was a nicely fought battle.
- We were so very close.
- That's right.
Each and every one of you
is a worthy opponent.
So, you do have another option.
Did any of you catch that?
Our current ensemble is missing
an instrument.
Chime bells! We're missing chime bells.
I can't think of a solution
for chime bells right now.
Percussionists, compensate somehow
when we get there.
It won't be perfect,
but it'll be better than nothing.
I'm sorry, my dear musicians.
I was just going to listen in for fun,
but I overheard
you are missing something,
so I couldn't help but jump in.
This set of chime bells was brought in
when the municipal folk music ensemble
disbanded 20 years ago.
They've sat here ever since.
No one's moved them.
After all these years,
no one remembers they exist anymore.
Will you guys be able to play them?
It's ready!
Greaves, drop in some tofu.
Veggies!
Put some food in.
I'm busy.
LORD OF A THOUSAND FINGERS NEEDS YOU
USE SECOND DIMENSION'S POWER
TO AWAKE THE MUNDANE THIRD DIMENSION
Lord of a Thousand Fingers
has summoned me!
Lord of a Thousand Fingers
has summoned me!
LET FOLK MUSIC ECHO ACROSS
NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
- Look here, Mister!
- I want this!
- So pretty.
- This one.
- Look here.
- I want this feather and this skirt.
Let's buy it together.
Our musical feast is about to begin.
I'm sure the kids who are here today
will be touched by the magic of music.
I believe some of the children here today
will be up on this stage someday,
and carry forward the beautiful melodies.
Twinkling and shining like stars
We don't know that
Those are little fireflies
Flying here and there
Mom, look!
Their outfits are so funny-looking!
Don't you be like them when you grow up.
Eyes front.
Each and every one of you
is a worthy opponent.
It was a nicely fought battle.
We were so very close.
So, you do have another option.
Do us a favor.
Come on. Hand me your passes.
- Here.
- Be careful.
Keep it safe.
They're in your hands now.
Let's go.
Next is the last performance of the night,
Mozart's "Piano Concerto No. 27."
Please welcome students from
the teen orchestra
of the Affiliated High School
of Zhongxia Music Academy.
First-chair pianist, Wen Wang.
First-chair violinist, You-en Zheng.
Here they come.
Hurry!
Who are you guys?
There's a surprise performance?
This isn't in the program.
They're ready, Wen Wang.
What's going on? It's a different group.
Good luck.
Enjoy the show!
I suppress the urge to sing
The Song of the Great Wind
Thinking back to my youthful days
The ancestors are wise
The valiant always meet a bad end
- Let me do it.
- Sure!
Greaves,
how much did the mosquitoes pay you
to bring me here?
I hear fireflies like to gather
at this park at night.
I love plenty of things.
I love celebrities too.
Why don't you take me
to their house for a visit?
Why do you like fireflies?
Because fireflies glow.
The department chair's head glows, too.
Because fireflies are cool.
- Are they?
- Yes.
Fireflies are such tiny creatures.
They should be hiding
to protect their lives.
Instead, they insist on glowing
for everyone to see.
So I'm a firefly.
- Hey, Jinx?
- Yes?
I read in a book,
fireflies glow because
they want to attract a mate.
Did you get the wrong idea?
It's so eerie here.
I don't see any fireflies.
A ghost might show up instead.
All right, I'm leaving. You can stay.
I have something to tell you.
Go ahead.
What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?
Where's your phone?
Check your photos on the social media app.
Look closely.
What's wrong? They're all selfies.
I take selfies
because I have confidence in myself.
This is me, and this is how I look.
Why did you send so many messages?
That's how you look to me.
Why don't you say something?
Send me the original photos.
Why don't you save the photos?
It's okay. I don't need to.
You can always take more in the future.
Let's go.
I can't believe we're too late this year.
I was hoping to see
the fireflies with you.
It's never too late!
We still have plenty of summers together.
Wait. Aren't we moving a little fast?
Look!
- Are you ready?
- Yes.
Okay.
WELCOME NEW STUDENTS
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF MUSIC
Lord of a Thousand Fingers! Sorry.
I can't pick it up!
Fa-so-la-so
Again.
I'm laughing alone.
All by myself.