Hardship Progress

Narrated by the erhu and inspired by the Hengchun folk song" Siā Siang Khí", this piece expresses the deep homesickness of Taiwanese people striving far from
home. The piece unfolds in four movements: “Prologue” paints a vivid picture of the homeland;

“Departure” conveys the pain of leaving home and the
uncertainties of the future;

“Crossing the Sea” depicts the struggle against the
vast ocean, pressing forward and breaking through the waves with raising sails and a heart full of hope,

and “Looking Back” evokes feelings of confusion in the
face of life’s uncertainties, and boundless melancholy.