Of this music, the most prominently featured instrument is the guqin, a Chinese zither with seven strings. This is Gao Jianli’s instrument of choice, and it’s soothing sound signifies the peaceful world Jianli envisions. Throughout the film, the guqin calms a young Ying Zheng as he awaits execution, provides Jianli with a form of meditation, plays a role in the seduction of Princess Yueyang, and is used to compose the Chinese anthem intended to help unify China. The fact that the Emperor is able to succeed in using this instrument to justify his violent quest for power creates a bitter irony at the conclusion of the film. In this way, the music of China is not only functions as a component of the plot, but as a motif for
Of this music, the most prominently featured instrument is the guqin, a Chinese zither with seven strings. This is Gao Jianli’s instrument of choice, and it’s soothing sound signifies the peaceful world Jianli envisions. Throughout the film, the guqin calms a young Ying Zheng as he awaits execution, provides Jianli with a form of meditation, plays a role in the seduction of Princess Yueyang, and is used to compose the Chinese anthem intended to help unify China. The fact that the Emperor is able to succeed in using this instrument to justify his violent quest for power creates a bitter irony at the conclusion of the film. In this way, the music of China is not only functions as a component of the plot, but as a motif for