Series Report on Summer Practice in 2022 – 3rd Practice Day of the Students in Grade 2020 Majoring in Music in Enshi, Lichun and Badong

On the morning of July 2, after the heavy rain last night, Girls’ Twon showed a new look. Although it was sunny, the temperature in the morning was just right. After a simple breakfast, we started today's trip by bus.

Around nine o'clock, we arrived at the museum and first visited Enshi Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. With the theme of “Magical Wuling, Beautiful Enshi” as the theme, it intensively displays the history and culture, natural resources, location conditions and urban planning and construction development achievements of the Prefecture through physical display, sand table model and advanced technology equipment as well as the cooperation of sound, light, electricity and other technologies. Under the guidance of the guide, the students saw the changes of Enshi step by step and understood its development achievements.

Then we entered Enshi Tenglong Cave Grand Canyon National Geopark Museum, where the characteristic landform and unique geological structure of Enshi are displayed. Through the geological science popularization by the guide, we enjoyed the beautiful natural scenery of Enshi.

Finally, we came to the Museum of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. The guide led us to understand Ba culture and Tujia culture from the perspective of history. From the excavated cultural relics to the food, clothing, usage and transportation of Tujia and Miao, they reflect the rich and colorful ethnic folk culture created by various ethnic groups in Enshi. For example, the stilted building, Tusi Domain and Xi Lan Ka Pu fully demonstrate their ethnic characteristics. Then, we came to the final exhibition hall, "Enshi Memory", which is composed of five parts: the approaching storm, the thunder of 1911, star fire, the war of resistance, and road to liberation. The historical facts, videos and objects on display recorded in detail the historical process of Enshi from the Opium War to the founding of new China in the past 100 years. The students were educated on the history of the Party and were reminded to "never forget the original intention and remember the mission".

After lunch and a short break, in the afternoon, we first went to the National Ethnic Songs and Dance Troupe of Hubei Province to study. The teacher led us to visit the song and dance theater and into the recording studio, where he briefly explained the equipment used for recording and the functions. Afterwards, Wang Tian and Zhu Kai recorded songs respectively and demonstrated to the students post-production tuning and mixing

Then we took a bus to Hubei Enshi College, where we were taught by Deng Cong, our outstanding alumnus and the head of the Music Department of Hubei Enshi College. He introduced the instrument orchestration of Tujia music and the characteristics of its folk songs, and also explained how to refine and sublimate the folk music after collecting it, and how to make a second creation of Tujia music in combination with his own creation.

Mr. Deng Cong is very knowledgeable about improvisational accompaniment. He adapted the original songs of Huang Honglan, Li Yijing and Zhu Kai, and amazed the students with the piano arrangement, giving them a better understanding of song writing and improvisational accompaniment. Afterwards, he also demonstrated different ways of improvisational accompaniment for us on the spot based on the three pieces, and the students gained a lot.

During the lecture, it rained heavily outside the window, and everyone thought it would rain for a long time again. When the lecture was over, there was sunny rain outside. Through the light mist, we saw the gorgeous seven color double rainbow crossing over the teaching building. Students picked up their cell phones to record this lucky moment.

After dinner, we wandered around the ancient town, which is full of Tujia style everywhere. At 8:30 p.m., we came to the Shi Nan Tea House to experience the tea culture with local characteristics, watch Nuo opera and the unique local Yangqin performance, etc. Our students sang the school song of CUG, and some students participated in the performance together with teachers to show the local music characteristics. The show drew to a close and the day ended on a cool night. The practice in Enshi is also coming to an end. Tomorrow afternoon, we will go to the next place. We also hope that the students will have something to gain in these two days.