American-born Jake Pinnick embodies the spirit of Wudang, seamlessly weaving martial mastery with the serene artistry of ancient Chinese music. A devoted practitioner of Daoism, Jake has been exploring traditional Chinese musical instruments like the xun and the dongxiao.

Jake is playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

Jake is playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

Jake is playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

Jake is playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

A closeup of Jake playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

A closeup of Jake playing the xun in the Zixiao Palace of Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

The xun, a wind instrument shaped like an egg with a flat bottom, boasts a history spanning thousands of years, evolving from a simple, single-holed instrument to the multi-fingered flutes of today. The dongxiao, a vertical bamboo flute intrinsically linked to Daoist practice, produces a smooth, meditative sound that complements the breathing techniques of Tai Chi.

Jake, passionate about sharing these ancient traditions, authored Introduction to the Dong Xiao: Learn How to Play the Chinese Vertical Flute in 2022, providing English-language resources for global learners. He continues to teach both martial arts and the dongxiao online.

Jake is playing the dongxiao in Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

Jake is playing the dongxiao in Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

Jake is playing the dongxiao in Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

Jake is playing the dongxiao in Wudang Mountains, central China's Hubei Province. /CGTN

For more:

The grace and power of Wudang Kung Fu

Beyond Tai Chi: The royal splendor of Wudang's Zixiao Palace

(All photos taken by Fang Zhijun, cover image designed by CGTN's Gao Hongmei and Liu Shaozhen)