Song of the Phoenix 2013

In a Wushuang village in Shaanxi province, a young boy named You Tianming, Zheng Wei, begins to learn the suona under the patient guidance of Master Jiao, Tao Zeru. He and his fellow student, Lan Yu, Hu Xianxu, dream of earning a place in Jiao’s traveling ensemble, which performs at weddings and funerals across the Wushuang villages.

When Master Jiao announces that he will soon retire and chooses Tianming as his successor, the old tradition is entrusted to a new generation. Jiao passes down centuries-old techniques and the coveted repertoire, including the celebrated Song of the Phoenix, a piece reserved for the funerals of the most renowned individuals.

As Tianming grows up, he becomes the principal of the suona ensemble, but the landscape around him is changing. The popularity of traditional Chinese music wanes, and the reverence once afforded to suona musicians fades. Fewer gigs come his way as the world moves toward Western instruments, which sound newer and more fashionable to many ears.

Facing dwindling opportunities, the company begins to fracture. The remaining members must confront the practical reality that they may need to seek work elsewhere to survive. Master Jiao, meanwhile, battles a terminal lung cancer diagnosis, yet he urges Tianming to persevere and keep the ensemble alive for as long as he can.

An official arrives with a request to record Tianming and his ensemble, a bid to preserve the culture of this dying art form. Yet the group is stretched thin, and many members have been worn down by factory labor, leaving them unable to perform at the level required. Lan Yu Hu Xianxu suggests that Tianming might abandon life in the village and seek opportunities in the city, a path that would sever the ties he has pledged to uphold.

Tianming remains steadfast in his commitment to his teacher’s dream, choosing loyalty and tradition over convenience and modern trend. After Master Jiao’s death, Tianming returns to the tomb and plays the Song of the Phoenix alone, a solitary tribute to a cherished legacy that once echoed through weddings and funerals alike.