Public eye #20

Ying and Yan, gu zheng harp instrumentalists

Do you always wear matching clothes?
Y&Y: We generally wear different coloured clothes of the same style. Where ever we go, apart from when one of us goes to the local convenience store, 99% of the time we’re always together. If we wore exactly the same clothes, we’d end up standing out too much – which would be a bit embarrassing. So we generally dress differently by, for example, wearing slightly different coloured clothes.
Yan: On our way to Inokashira Park today; we boarded the same train but rode in different carriages.

I can see how some things must require special consideration. Do you often come to Inokashira Park?
Yan: There aren’t very many green places in Tokyo so we often come here to go for a walk together. The city’s great too, but there’s something special about taking some time to enjoy the fresh air here.
Ying: We’re from a city called Wuhan in China, not far from the Yangtze River – so there’s plenty of water in the area. Plus there’re also mountains close by. It’s a place that’s surrounded by nature.

Do you ever argue?
Y&Y: Yes! We argue over really trivial things. Although we’re twins, our opinions often differ.
Ying: When we were living in China it never even occurred to us that we might think about things differently. However, since coming to Japan and living together on our own, the differences have gradually come to light.
Yan: To begin with we couldn’t understand how we can be the same and yet different! We simply couldn’t acknowledge or accept our differences. However, now we understand that, actually, our differences are really important. When we do things differently we can learn from each other’s mistakes and hopefully, as a result, both become better people in the process. I tend to say whatever I’m thinking. Ying, on the other hand, is generally much more composed, except when she gets angry. When she’s angry, she’s scary!!

I’ll do my best not to upset her then. [Laughs] What about guys? Is there a particular type of guy you go for?
Ying: What’s interesting isn’t so much the difference between the types of guy we fall for, but rather the difference between the types of guy who fall for us!

Is it easy to continue making headway into the Tokyo music scene?
Yan: As foreigners who perform with a foreign instrument, it’s really pleasing that people here take our music seriously. The more people understand our music, the more confident and courageous we become.
Ying: It would be great if our music could help bring Japanese people and Chinese people closer together. Of course, with the Expo currently taking place in Shanghai, China is receiving a lot of attention at the moment and in fact, we really wanted to take part ourselves. However, for the time being, we’ve decided to concentrate our efforts on activities here in Japan, such as promoting our new album and performing live.

When’s the release date for the album?
Y&Y: We released out latest album, entitled ‘Ying Ge Yan Wu’, on April the 28th this year. It’s our second album released in Japan and is comprised entirely of our own, original work. We hope that it will help the younger generations here to better understand the gu zheng. Without deviating too far from traditional, we feel that we’ve produced an album that incorporates the best of both the old and the new. We’re really satisfied with the results.
Ying: The title, ‘Ying Ge Yan Wu’, is a Chinese expression that consists of four Chinese characters that symbolize the song of the nightingale and the dance of the swallow, which, together, signify the coming of spring. The expression was our parent’s inspiration in giving us our names.
Yan: Rather than dwell on history, it’s important to remember that we are alive right now, in the present. We hope that our music can be a form of inspiration that enables people to better communicate and relate to each other.

Where was the photograph on the album cover shot?
Y&Y: In Yoyogi Park! The cherry blossoms there were really beautiful!!

You really do like the parks don’t you.

More from Ying and Yan:

‘Japan is a really convenient place to live, yet it’s also a place where people are really considerate. People here are polite and also often very passionate and diligent when it comes to their work.’

‘Before we came to Japan, a Japanese friend who was living in Wuhan told us “Whichever country you go, you’ll find that half the people there are good and the other half are bad. What’s important is to believe in yourself and do exactly what you want to do”. Those words made a big impression.’

‘We were born as twins and couldn’t have come this far without each other; however, we realize there’s a chance that one day our lives might lead us in different directions and we’ll end up being separated.’

‘Ying Ge Yan Wu’ released date: Apr 28, 2010, Come True Records
Ying and Yan official site: www.from1-pro.jp/yingandyan/