In all, 8,695 guzheng (Chinese zither) enthusiasts staged a grand show at the 3rd Sheng Shi Hua Zheng International Guzheng Music Festival in China International Aviation Exhibition Center on Aug 18 in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. 

The multitude of instrumentalists performed My Motherland, breaking the Guinness world record for a guzheng ensemble. The Jinwan District event was the largest guzheng show in terms of scale and public attention since 2017. The 2nd show, in Macao, had 2,520 performers to set the previous Guinness record. 

Guzhengs everywhere

The guzheng players came from cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and were strictly selected from 60 competition venues of the Guzheng Music Festival. The youngest was only 6 and the eldest 68. 

They had been rehearsing for months to set a new world record and the organizers also invited several renowned Chinese musicians to assist in the endeavor.

Among the skilled performers, 30 hailed from Guan Shan-Yue Primary School in Jiangcheng District of Yangjiang, a city with which Zhuhai has a counterpart assistance relationship. The youngsters, who once made it to the stage of Zhuhai's Spring Festival Gala, won wide acclaim for their confidence and skills.

Pupils from Guan Shan-Yue Primary School [Photos by Ye Qiuming / Zhuhai Daily]