The Symphony Kūkai Weaves a Millennial Epic in Auckland
- Winter Z
- Jan 29
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 13
Boundless Compassion and Resounding Aspirations: The Symphony Kūkai Weaves a Millennial Epic in Auckland
The Oceania premiere of the symphony Kukai is held at Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand on Jan 24, 2025.
On January 24, 2025, the Oceania premiere of the symphony Kūkai concluded triumphantly at Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand. This remarkable event brought together over 160 artists from China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Chinese communities from Hong Kong and Taiwan to present an awe-inspiring symphonic masterpiece.
Through grand and majestic movements and delicate yet vivid expressions, Kūkai brought audiences back a thousand years into distant history, evoking the compassion and profound aspirations of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Zhou Li, cultural consul of the Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland, attends the Oceania premiere of the symphony Kukai held at Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand on Jan 24, 2025.
Distinguished guests attending the performance included Mr. Zhou Li, Cultural Consul of the Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland; Auckland Mayor Mr. Wayne Brown; Mr. Makoto Osawa, Ambassador of Japan to New Zealand; Mr. Matsui Shinji, Consul General of Japan in Auckland; Ms. Nancy Lu, Member of Parliament for the New Zealand National Party and several other political figures.
Among the notable figures from the business, cultural, and religious communities were Mr. Wang Jianwen, Director of the China Cultural Centre in Auckland; Mr. Mike Dawson, President of the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand China Friendship Society; Dr. Yang Jian, President of the New Zealand Chinese Chamber of Commerce Federation; prominent lawyer Mr. Huo Jianqiang; and Mr. Huang Weizhang, President of the Federation of Chinese Associations of New Zealand.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown attends the Oceania premiere of the symphony Kukai held at Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand on Jan 24, 2025.
The concert hall was filled with nearly 1,300 attendees and created grandeur and unprecedented excitement.
The symphony Kūkai was created in 2023 by Beijing Tianguzhiyin Culture Media Co., Ltd. in collaboration with renowned Chinese composer Zou Ye. It commemorates the 1250th anniversary of the birth of Master Kukai, a revered monk from Japan’s Heian Period.
Master Kūkai, a Japanese monk who studied in China during the Tang Dynasty under Master Huiguo, the seventh patriarch of Esoteric Buddhism, later founded Shingon Buddhism in Japan and became a seminal figure in Japanese culture.
The symphony narrates Kukai’s extraordinary life through music – from his pursuit of truth and rigorous ascetic practices to his journey to China for study, the transmission of Shingon teachings, and his return to Japan, where he became the imperial preceptor of Japan serving four emperors, safeguarding the nation and benefitting the people.
Mr. Makoto Osawa, Ambassador of Japan to New Zealand, attends the Oceania premiere of the symphony Kukai held at Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand on Jan 24, 2025.
The work masterfully integrates Master Kukai’s vast wisdom, boundless compassion, and grand vow to alleviate suffering into a profound auditory experience, offering listeners moments of tranquility, enlightenment, exhilaration, and spiritual purification. The symphony culminates with Master Kukai’s solemn vow:
“As long as space endures, as long as sentient beings exist, until then, may I too remain, to dispel the sufferings of the world”.
The resounding anthems soared into the sky, touching the depths of every heart with a powerful and majestic grandeur that was truly awe-inspiring. As the performance concluded, the venue erupted into continuous cheers and rapturous applause.
This extraordinary rendition was led by British conductor Derrick Morgan,in collaboration with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Central Conservatory of Music Choir (China), and the Auckland Music Association.
The performance united overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, and Taiwan compatriots; brought together audiences from China, New Zealand, and Japan; and bridged traditions with modernity and the East with the West. Artists of diverse backgrounds performed together in Mandarin Chinese, offering genuine and heartfelt expressions that stirred the soul and resonated deeply with the audience.
In the past two years, symphony Kūkai has successfully toured in Lanzhou, China; Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan; and London, United Kingdom. During the pre-concert reception, a representative from Tianguzhiyin remarked:
“Through music, we hope to connect hearts, enabling people to communicate, understand, and embrace one another in a state of softness and harmony. We aspire for the symphony Kūkai to reach every corner of the globe, so people of all cultures and languages can hear Kūkai’s voice.”
This Oceania premiere of symphony Kūkai serves not only as a tribute to the history of cultural exchange between China and Japan but also as a call for communication and mutual understanding between Eastern and Western civilizations, inspired by Kūkai’s selfless and altruistic spirit.
Let us look forward to Kūkai resonating in more countries and regions, spreading its message of compassion, wisdom, and boundless aspirations to all. May peace prevail across the seas and harmony shine upon the world!
