'Journey to the West' concert funded online

Veteran composer Xu Jingqing [Photo/China.org.cn]

The man who created the iconic soundtrack to the popular TV series "Journey to the West" will hold a concert for fans with the help of crowdfunding.

Veteran composer Xu Jingqing, 74, initiated a crowdfunding project online on Modian.com on Aug. 30 to try to get financial support for his 30-year-old dream of holding a concert. To his surprise and delight, the project has already raised 3.2 million yuan (US$479,970) from more than 22,000 internet users in less than a week.

He is expecting to raise more than 5 million yuan (US$749,960) in order to make the concert a good one. The goal is to hold the concert at the Great Hall of the People, the grand building on Tian’anmen Square for China's parliament activities and big events, in Beijing on Dec. 2.

The "Journey to the West" TV series, adapted from a 16th-century novel with the same title, first hit the small screen in 1986, starring Zhang Jinlai as the "Monkey King." It has been aired more than 3,000 times on China Central Television (CCTV) and other local TV networks and is a cornerstone of the nation's pop culture.

Xu created the original score and songs by using the electric guitar, electric bass, synthesizer, drum kit, orchestra ensemble, guzheng (zither), pipa (Chinese lute), harp and xylophone. In the 1980s, these musical elements were so new, groundbreaking and bold in China that some conservative TV executives had troubles accepting them.

The composer has sought help from internet users and some entrepreneurs for years but every time he tried, he became more disappointed. "Most interested parties will first talk to me, but then disappear with no further feedback."

He also angrily pointed out that rampant online piracy and low fees collected from the internet haven’t given him much financial leverage. "Some website only paid me 2.7 yuan (US$0.4) licencing fee for using my music; it’s ridiculous" he said.

The concept of "Journey to the West" concert has triggered nostalgia in many Chinese people. His microblog post for crowdfunding has been retweeted nearly 50,000 times with 12,800 comments thus far.

As the crowdfunding project number goes higher each day, promoters from Shenzhen, Xi'an, Changsha, and many other cities in China have also begun contacting Xu for more concerts. But now the priority is to make the first concert great and perfect, a staff member from Modian.com said. "The old gentleman wants to satisfy audiences and himself."