Gao Yuan
Coli3e0m Rock
In the Gregorian calendar, 1994 was a common year with 365 days across 53 weeks. The Chinese lunar calendar marked it as the Year of the Dog (Jiaxu), spanning 355 days without a leap month. This lunar year commenced on February 10, 1994, and concluded on January 30, 1995.
1994 often feels like an unreachable past. Three decades is indeed expansive stretch of time, long enough for the world to undergo profound, transformative changes. It was also from this year that a rigorous civil service examination system was established. While 1994 might have seemed like an ordinary year, it witnessed an extraordinary event on July 16. This date marked humanity's first observation of a planetary collision within our solar system, an awe-inspiring cosmic spectacle that brought our civilization closest to extinction. This event served as a stark reminder of our vulnerability in the vast expanse of the universe. This year also saw the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan. UNESCO first pointed out that the gap between rich and poor is essentially a knowledge gap. Internationally, China was officially recognized as a country with internet access. On December 14, 1994, the Three Gorges Project officially commenced construction.
December 17, 1994, Hong Kong, Hung Hom, 8 PM
Dou Wei, Zhang Chu, He Yong, and special guest performers Tang Dynasty arrived in Hong Kong through unconventional channels. They performed a concert titled "Rock China - The Power of Music" at the Hong Kong Coliseum. This concert is considered a landmark of China's rock music golden age and remains one of the most influential concerts in Chinese rock history. Driven by public opinion, these young musicians were thrust into the spotlight. As described on Baidu Encyclopedia: "The venue was packed with media from around the world and nearly ten thousand Hong Kong spectators. Prior to this, they had rarely had the opportunity to witness the new musical style from Beijing directly. In Hong Kong, a entertainment hub for Chinese people, the Coliseum had always been viewed as a stage for idols and superstars. During that night's performance, Gao Yuan captured an unusually calm Dou Wei, a typically melancholy Zhang Chu, and a highly infuriated He Yong."
In the Gregorian calendar, 2024 is a leap year, with 366 days spread across 53 weeks. In the Chinese lunar calendar, it is the Year of the Dragon (Jiachen), spanning 354 days without a leap month. The lunar year begins on February 10, 2024, and ends on January 28, 2025.
2024 is dubbed a "global election year," with approximately 50 countries holding parliamentary or leadership elections. The world of thirty years ago seems to have been reshaped—it's hard to imagine that back then, there were no smartphones, no Google, no WeChat, no Twitter, no electric vehicles; such innovations would have seemed like fantasy. Thirty years later, there seems to be a pessimistic narrative online: we've seen the best days, a globalized world, technological progress under openness and inclusiveness, diverse values, increasing opportunities, and improving lives—how fortunate are those who have witnessed these times. But are these good days gone forever? As He Yong sings in his song: "Who set this question, so difficult, with correct answers everywhere?" Regardless, in this world, a moment divided by itself yields but a moment still. Time marches on relentlessly through every corner of space.
"In 1994, the cultural identity and awakening of individual consciousness made mid-1990s Beijing incredibly creative. The Hong Kong Coliseum concert I experienced was an ordinary performance, a part of the diverse cultural landscape, a dream worth reminiscing, conjured by a group of young souls a quarter-century ago." —Gao Yuan
In 2024, artist Gao Yuan, along with memories and curiosity, revisits her old friends to see how they've changed over thirty years. She also hopes to use these history-making musicians as a lens to examine how our lives have transformed. It's a commemoration of that dream, or perhaps the making of a new one. Time doesn't stand still, and 30 years will continue to pass. So, let's begin anew.
