Movement I · Origins
The Australia Guqin Society Incorporated was founded in Melbourne in 2017. What began with a dozen-odd guqin friends has grown to several hundred members today — a growth owed both to Chinese communities spreading across the world, and to the deepening appreciation of Chinese cultural heritage. Melbourne, a true meeting point of cultures, has proven fertile ground for the guqin tradition to take root and flourish.
Silk strings upon paulownia wood — within them, an ancient voice endures. The guqin is native to China, carried through millennia unbroken, foremost among the "Four Arts" of qin, chess, calligraphy and painting. It is far more than an instrument for pleasing the ear: it is a vessel through which scholars have long cultivated the self and communed with heaven and earth. To play is to still the mind and see clearly into one's nature — inward peace, outward connection across ages.
The heart of the qin entrusts itself to mine; my heart, in turn, reveals the heart of the qin. Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we gather this ancient, unbroken sound, hoping to answer — with hearts of our own time — a heart that has never ceased to sound.
Meet All Members →Movement II · Our Members
They come from all walks of life, drawn together by a shared devotion to the qin. Select a portrait to meet more of our community.
Movement III · Performances
Recorded performances by our members, from classic repertoire to spontaneous playing.
Performed by Vice President Xu Jianyuan · Recorded live at the Duanwu Gathering
Performed by President Hu Jun · Recorded live at the "Yarra Qin Yun" concert
Movement IV · Gatherings
Gatherings are the Society's most cherished tradition — friends brought together by the qin, over tea and conversation.
Whether you are an experienced player or new to the guqin, you are warmly welcome to join the Australia Guqin Society.
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