The Suona of Hewan Village

In Hewan Village, old suona craftsman Master Liu has blown the suona his whole life, leading every wedding, funeral, festival, and New Year celebration. Now the suona troupe has scattered, the village’s young people have left to work in the cities, and no one is left to learn. Master Liu’s son went into business in the city and long ago put down the suona. His grandson Liu Xiaoman studies at a music conservatory in the city. When he comes home for summer vacation, his grandfather’s one-breath suona melody sets his heart racing; and when a village wedding cannot even hire a suona band, he is filled with frustration. A booking company wants to sign Master Liu for commercial packaging and performances, but he refuses outright. Xiaoman gathers the village’s young people to form a new suona band. They are determined to join the old troupe at the August 15 temple fair and perform the full-length “Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.”