From mountain to capital

Zhu Haichen odes to her hometown with songs. Zou Hong / China Daily

Hailed from the Yimeng Mountain area of Shandong province, Zhu Haichen grew up with music, especially folk songs. Thus, it is only natural that she has chosen singing as her career.

Yimeng Mountain area is famous for its legendary history, which contributed a lot to the victory of the Chinese revolution. Zhu knows the natural sceneries and the history of the place like the back of her hand, and it is evident from her songs, which is filled with emotions.

After a series of concerts in her hometown since 2010, under the theme of Yimeng Mountain, the 33-year-old singer will be performing for her fans in Beijing.

Titled The Daughter of Yimeng Mountain, the concert will feature Zhu's popular songs, including The Daughter of Yimeng Mountain and Yimeng Mountain Minor.

The concert in Beijing will be developed in a story-telling approach by introducing four tones, black-and-white, red, green and blue. Each tone represents a specialty of Yimeng Mountain area, including the miserable life of the past, the revolutionary history, the natural scene and the local people.

Aside from symphony orchestra, audiences will enjoy the solo performance of liuqin, a four-stringed Chinese mandolin with a pear-shaped body, which has been widely played in Yimeng Mountain area since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Trained at China Conservatory since 1994, Zhu joined the People's Liberation Army as a singer after graduation. After winning the CCTV Youth Singer TV Competition, she frequently performed at the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

Crossover is also a major part in Zhu's singing career. She has performed songs for movies, including Deep Blue, the theme song of director Feng Xiaoning's sea battle epic blockbuster 1894.