Shenzhen's public piano project a smash — literally

Yi Qunlin looked nothing like a musician as he pounded the keys of a grand piano at a newly built concert hall in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in May.

The 57-year-old abandoned the traditional concert attire of evening wear, opting instead to perform in a reflective safety vest and safety helmet.

Despite his unconventional appearance, he delivered a masterly performance on the keyboard and has since become an internet sensation.

In April, video footage of Yi playing a piano in the city's Huaqiangbei subdistrict wearing a helmet and reflective vest went viral online, quickly becoming a top trending video on Sina Weibo and X Corp, formerly known as Twitter.

As of early July, the footage had been viewed around 4 million times worldwide, with attention focusing not only on Yi but also on the determination of the authorities in Shenzhen that the city to embrace a culture characterized by openness and inclusiveness.

The public piano project in Huaqiangbei was launched by the local government in 2018, inspired by the British artist Luke Jerram, who placed more than 2,000 street pianos in some 70 cities worldwide since 2008 with the words "Play Me, I'm Yours" printed on them.

Zhang Chen, deputy director of the Huaqiangbei subdistrict office, said: "Huaqiangbei is located in the commercial district in the center of Shenzhen. We have been trying to provide diverse cultural facilities to bring high-quality public cultural services to the area. What surprises us is that the public piano project has attracted so many people to play the instruments, as well as others who come to watch them perform."

Yi Yang in Shenzhen contributed to this story.