Primary school teacher in SW China's Yunnan uses music to strengthen students’ confidence

A video of a chorus rehearsal by a teachers' choir and a children's choir in Yuxi city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, recently went viral.

During the rehearsal, they sang a song adapted from a poem in "The Book of Songs," China's first anthology of poems dating back more than 2,000 years. The sonorous voices of teachers and crystal-clear voices of children injected new vitality into the famous ancient poem, with the song serving as a reminder of the public's cultural memory.

Some internet users said that the song was so wonderfully rendered that they burst into tears, while others said they were moved by Chinese culture reflected in the song.

The story behind the two choirs is as touching as the children's voices.

The Yuxi Nie Er Teachers' Choir sings in a rehearsal. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The teachers and students who sang in the video are from the Yuxi Nie Er Teachers' Choir, which is named after Nie Er, a Chinese composer best known for China's national anthem, and the children's choir of the primary school affiliated to Yuxi Normal University.

Pu Hailing, a 37-year-old music teacher from the primary school, is the conductor of the two choirs.

In 2020, Pu was a teacher at the Majiazhuang primary school in Jiuxi township, Jiangchuan district, Yuxi.

Photo shows Pu Hailing and the children's choir of the Majiazhuang primary school in Jiuxi township, Jiangchuan district, Yuxi city, southwest China's Yunnan Province during a rehearsal. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

When she found that many students had no one to share their worries with and were introverted as their parents worked outside, she established a children's choir at the school, hoping that students could learn how to express their emotions, feel happiness and build resilience.

Despite the fact that Pu also had to serve as a math and science teacher at the school due to a lack of teachers, she managed to use her spare time to guide the students in chorus practice. She also spent her weekends and holidays honing her skills at her own expense in Kunming, capital of Yunnan.

Photo shows Pu Hailing at a rehearsal. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Under Pu's unremitting efforts, the children sang with increasing enthusiasm, gradually mastered chorus skills and became livelier. The children's choir of the Majiazhuang primary school won a grand prize in the Nie Er Cup chorus competition for primary and middle school students in Yuxi, a silver award in the 8th China Children's Choral Festival, and a silver award in the 11th World Choir Games, among others. It was also invited to perform in Shanghai.

In 2023, Pu became a music teacher at the primary school affiliated to Yuxi Normal University, where she established a children's choir with the school’s support.

Photo shows Pu Hailing and the children's choir of the Majiazhuang primary school in Jiuxi town, Jiangchuan district, Yuxi city, southwest China's Yunnan Province during a performance. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Supported by the local education department, the Yuxi Nie Er Teachers' Choir was established in the city to train teachers from local primary and middle schools.

Pu served as the conductor of the teachers' choir for her experience and achievements in this aspect.

After the members of the teachers' choir returned to their respective schools, they set up choirs at their schools. As a result, choirs for students sprang up all over Yuxi city.

According to statistics, by the end of 2023, the number of choirs for students in the city grew to nearly 100 from about seven to eight in 2021.

Pu hopes that the teachers' choir will have more opportunities to go out and exchange ideas with other professional choirs.

Pu Hailing teaches students of the primary school affiliated to Yuxi Normal University in Yuxi city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Photo shows the Yuxi Nie Er Teachers' Choir during a performance. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The Yuxi Nie Er Teachers' Choir and the children's choir of the primary school affiliated to Yuxi Normal University render a song adapted from a poem in "The Book of Songs," China's first anthology of poems dating back more than 2,000 years, during a performance. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)