What's Happening?
Yangguang News has officially released an AI-generated music video titled 'Where’s My Chang’an, Tell Me Now.' The video features lyrics by Wan Bo, president and editor-in-chief of Yangguang News, with AI-generated composition and arrangement by Yangguang AI Studio.
Production support was provided by Xi’an Fusheng Film and Culture Communication Company. This project, which took eight months to complete and involved over 100 revisions to the lyrics, aims to engage younger audiences with Tang poetry and promote Chinese culture internationally. The video blends Shaanxi dialect, pop music, and AI-generated visuals to offer a fresh approach to presenting ancient poetry. It serves as the seed video for a global youth short-video campaign titled 'A True Friend Remains Close at Heart, Though Miles Apart: Me, Tang Poetry, and AI.' The initiative seeks to make Tang poetry more accessible and relatable to a modern, youthful demographic.
Why It's Important?
This initiative is important as it demonstrates a novel application of artificial intelligence in cultural preservation and promotion. By leveraging AI for music composition, arrangement, and visual generation, Yangguang News is attempting to bridge the gap between ancient literary traditions and contemporary youth culture. This approach could set a precedent for how historical and cultural content is disseminated and consumed in the digital age, potentially influencing educational and cultural institutions globally. The use of pop music and local dialect makes the content more relatable, fostering a deeper connection with the audience. If successful, this model could be adopted by other countries looking to revitalize interest in their own historical arts among younger generations, showcasing AI's potential beyond purely commercial or scientific applications. It highlights a shift towards interactive and technologically enhanced cultural experiences.
What's Next?
The 'Where’s My Chang’an, Tell Me Now' music video will serve as a creative reference for participants in the global youth short-video campaign, 'A True Friend Remains Close at Heart, Though Miles Apart: Me, Tang Poetry, and AI.' This campaign aims to encourage young people worldwide to create their own short videos inspired by Tang poetry, utilizing AI in their creative process. The video's strong appeal and engaging presentation are expected to generate discussion on social media, attracting more participants to the campaign. Furthermore, the music video has already been featured as an opening performance at the 2026 Xi’an-themed event 'Poetic Chang’an: I Am Ready to Serve My Country' and at Xi’an’s promotional activities for its 'City of Tang Poetry' initiative, indicating its continued use in both online and offline cultural events. The goal is to make Tang poetry engaging, enjoyable, and easily shareable.
Beyond the Headlines
The project delves into the deeper implications of AI's role in cultural heritage. By making Tang poetry accessible through modern mediums, it challenges traditional notions of how classical literature should be presented. This initiative raises questions about the balance between authenticity and innovation in cultural dissemination. While some might argue that AI-generated content could dilute the original artistic intent, this project emphasizes using AI as a tool to enhance and reinterpret, rather than replace, human creativity. It also highlights the potential for AI to foster cross-cultural understanding by presenting historical narratives in universally appealing formats. The blend of local dialect with global pop music trends suggests a future where cultural expressions are fluid, adapting to new technologies and audiences while retaining their core identity. This could lead to a re-evaluation of intellectual property and authorship in an era where AI contributes significantly to creative works.
