Notes

1.Puppy love obsession. Chen Jing, a yangqin player, has a crush on a piano player. Although, yangqin and piano share the same root, the social status and worldly acceptance between these two instruments have day and night difference. Chen Jing’s crush is the best piano player at their school. His eyes aim at getting into the best music school in the U.S.. He doesn’t want to get distracted. Any side track could prevent him to achieve his goal, he will not allow that to happen. It unfortunately includes dating and love. Especially, being loved from a low class instrument, a yangqin player. 2. Xiaozong (minority) of 2 Dimension: honestly, this is the first time I heard of this term. Apparently, it’s been a popular phrase for a while. After much research, I’m not uncertain whether or not I have understood this phrase completely. I think that 2 dimension refers to a small group of people who are unique from… the majority or conventional expectations. In this perficular film, they are a group of people who are determined at pursuing their passion for Chinese traditional instruments. They are courageous at chasing their obsession of anime. They are persistent at achieving their dream – revitalizing Chinese traditional music. They are brave at portraying their uniqueness through explicit express of costumes, wigs and unconventional behaviors. That often yields misunderstanding, ridicule, demonization and physical as well as psychological abuse. However, even under trendy pressures, 2 dimension people willingly carry on the task and burden of cultural preservation. Often, it is their persistence and grit speak the loud volume and alter the outcome. 3. True friendship plus… true love! Chen Jing has a guy friend who is a drummer and called Li You. He is her side kick, partner in crime (eating hot pot illegally in a hot water dispenser and grilling BBQ with a curling iron), loyal companion and secret admirer. He is on her side through highs and lows. When she was treated with cruelty by her crush, he was the one who stood up for her. When she struggled to find a place for the band to rehearsal, he was the one who bribed the theater guard so she could continue to chase after her crush. Whenever she got into trouble, he got into troubles with her. Whenever she was punished by school authorities, he got punished as well. When she fell asleep on a bus, knocking her head on the window, he was right behind her to put his hand on her head as a cushion.