Spring Concert at Cilin

Text and photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang

Have you ever been amazed by "beauty"? Have you ever been "moved" in your daily life?

On that day, invited by Su Zhenhui, conductor of the Taiwan Soloists Symphony Orchestra, I attended the "Spring Concert at Cilin" hosted by the Cilin Foundation in Yilan. The concert was conducted by Xiao Bangheng. The first half featured classical masterpieces, ranging from Pachelbel’s Canon to lullabies and film hits like Forrest Gump, immersing us in beautiful melodies with great joy.

The second half unfortunately included a series of Taiwanese songs such as "Peach Blossom Township," "Destiny," "White Magnolia Flower," "Revolving Lantern," "Moon Above," and "Glowing Soul." Finally, regarding folk songs from Yilan—"Diudiu Tong"—the renowned singer Ji Naihan performed a solo vocal piece of a famous Taiwanese song. Her emotionally rich and powerful voice deeply moved my heartstrings and touched my subconscious. Afterward, conductor Su Zhenhui presented flowers to Ji Naihan and told the audience that since 2012, at the brightest moment of her life, God played a cruel joke without warning, causing her to lose her sight and fall into a dark abyss. Yet she faced it calmly and bravely, continuing to offer gentle songs to life, finding a light through music. Hearing this moving story and beautiful singing, tears unknowingly burst forth, uncontrollable. Tears wash the soul; what moved me so deeply?