STORY: HK entrepreneur promotes Chinese culture through traditional musical instrument
DATELINE: June 17, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:29
LOCATION: GUANGZHOU, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Guzheng
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): METRIC MOK, Chairman of the board, Hong Kong Zheng Art Co., Ltd.

STORYLINE:

A Hong Kong entrepreneur aims to promote Chinese culture through research, design, manufacturing, and sales of Guzheng, a traditional Chinese musical instrument.

Metric Mok established his own company after graduating with a Master's degree in Guzheng from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): METRIC MOK, Chairman of the board, Hong Kong Zheng Art Co., Ltd.
"The Guzheng, with a history of over 2,000 years, holds a significant place in Chinese traditional music as a well-established national instrument. The long history, including many different dynasties, has given rise to a rich repertoire of musical compositions.
Why could the Guzheng be thriving today? Its remarkable development can be partly attributed to its close alignment with the aesthetic preferences of contemporary times. Nowadays, approximately 15 million people in China have been studying the Guzheng.
We have also dedicated ourselves to it, and gradually made a transition from simply studying the Guzheng to establishing our own brand.
We gradually shifted our research and production to Dongguan because it is a city near Hong Kong and centrally positioned within the  (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao) Greater Bay Area. Its convenient location allows for easy access to both Shenzhen and Guangzhou, making it an ideal choice for our operations.
We have actually explored the possibility of manufacturing Guzheng in different overseas locations, including Vietnam. However, we realized that it was not easy even to find a cardboard box to pack our products. In contrast, Dongguan proved to be very convenient for production. For instance, if we need to customize a screw, it can be easily done in Dongguan with the factories' expertise. This is one of the greatest advantages of being based in Dongguan.
Our products are sold in various locations, including Australia, Thailand, and Japan. We have also explored opportunities in European and American countries, where there is a market for our products. However, we still consider the Chinese market as our top priority.
The domestic market is the foundation of our Chinese culture. Our aesthetic standards are defined by the Chinese market, and our products represent the voice of China. We hope that through our products, people can rediscover the beauty of the Guzheng.
With the influx of high-end talent into the Greater Bay Area, they are more likely to enjoy a better quality of life. Over the past few years, there has been a leap forward for the Guzheng, and the development of Chinese traditional music has led to an increase in the number of people learning the instrument. However, the Guzheng has yet to reach the level of an internationally recognized musical instrument.
I hope that those who have an interest in music will also develop a love for the Guzheng. Through the lens of Lingnan culture or Chinese culture as a whole, I aspire to promote and propagate the instrument, with Hong Kong serving as a platform to showcase its greatness and share it with the world."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Guangzhou, China.
(XHTV)