American-born Jake Pinnick embodies the spirit of Wudang, flawlessly weaving martial proficiency with the tranquil artistry of ancient Chinese music.
A devoted specialist of Daoism, Jake has actually been checking out standard Chinese musical instruments like the xun and the dongxiao.Jake is playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, main Chinas Hubei Province./ CGTNJake is playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, central Chinas Hubei Province./ CGTNJake is playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, main Chinas Hubei Province./ CGTNThe xun, a wind instrument shaped like an egg with a flat bottom, boasts a history covering thousands of years, developing from a simple, single-holed instrument to the multi-fingered flutes these days.
The dongxiao, a vertical bamboo flute intrinsically connected to Daoist practice, produces a smooth, meditative noise that matches the breathing strategies of Tai Chi.Jake, enthusiastic about sharing these ancient traditions, authored Introduction to the Dong Xiao: Learn How to Play the Chinese Vertical Flute in 2022, offering English-language resources for international learners.
He continues to teach both martial arts and the dongxiao online.Jake is playing the dongxiao in Wudang Mountains, central Chinas Hubei Province./ CGTNJake is playing the dongxiao in Wudang Mountains, main Chinas Hubei Province./ CGTNFor more: The grace and power of Wudang Kung FuBeyond Tai Chi: The royal splendor of Wudangs Zixiao Palace(All pictures taken by Fang Zhijun, cover image developed by CGTNs Gao Hongmei and Liu Shaozhen)