The Touching Untold Story Behind the Legendary Journey to the West 1986 Soundtrack

For generations of viewers across Asia and the world, the 1986 version of 'Journey to the West' is a timeless masterpiece. While the actors like Liu Xiao Ling Tong became household names, the man behind the iconic music, Xu Jingqing (Hứa Kính Thanh), remained in the shadows for decades. His journey to creating the soundtrack that defines the series was one of extreme hardship, innovation, and a lifelong struggle for recognition.

Born into a poverty-stricken family in Shandong in 1942, Xu Jingqing's first exposure to music was through a village loudspeaker and his father's erhu. Despite the famine and the loss of his father at a young age, he never abandoned his passion. He eventually made his way to the Harbin Academy of Art, working odd jobs to support his mother and sister. His big break came in the mid-1980s when director Yang Jie was searching for a fresh sound for 'Journey to the West.' She rejected several famous composers, finding their work too traditional and 'stale.' When she heard a one-minute snippet of Xu's work, she knew she had found the 'soul' of the show.

Xu Jingqing was a pioneer of electronic music in China. The famous opening theme, 'Yun Gong Xun Yin,' was inspired by the rhythmic clinking of workers' lunchboxes outside his window. At a time when electronic drums were non-existent in China, he had to borrow the only set in Beijing to record the track. Despite the brilliance of his work, he faced immense criticism from TV station officials who felt electronic music didn't suit a classical Chinese myth. It was director Yang Jie's stubborn persistence that kept his music in the show.

Tragically, despite the show being broadcast over 3,000 times, Xu Jingqing lived in a modest apartment without an elevator and received almost no royalties for over 30 years. Iconic songs like 'Dare to Ask Where the Road Is' and 'The Love of a Daughter' earned millions for performers, but Xu often received only pittance-level payments or was entirely ignored during award ceremonies. It wasn't until a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2016 that he finally realized his dream of holding a 'Journey to the West' concert. His story is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices artists make for their craft and the enduring power of music that transcends time and social status.

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