The Alluring Span of the Peacock is a sheng solo piece composed by Yan Haideng in 1957. The peacock is an auspicious animal, and this piece pays tribute to the joyous life of the working class through a depiction of the beauty of the peacock. This piece is based on the tunes of folk songs from Jinbei, Shanxi, and consists of five parts:

(i) Part 1 composes of ad libitum segments in which the rhythms flow freely. Through contrasts between quick and slow rhythms and speeds, as well as between traditional chords and single notes, the composition is upbeat and lively. Especially worth highlighting is the feature that long notes are embellished by dayin (a tapping technique), the nimble quality of the notes painting a vivid picture of a peacock spreading its wings and preparing to take flight.

(ii) Part 2 adopts a mesmerising song-like largo, in which we hear the sheng being played using the hushe technique (a trilling technique) to create a beautiful, relaxed, and lyrical mood. A breathtaking scene of a peacock spreading its vibrant feathers while basking in twilight colors unfolds before the listeners’ eyes.

(iii) The tempo in Part 3 changes to a spirited allegretto. Here, the sheng plays chords, single notes, and shuangtu (double tongue) notes successively to paint an energetic and intriguing picture of a peacock hopping and playing in joy.

(iv) Part 4 goes even faster, as the musician employs techniques such as the animated santu (triple tongue) to play short and repeated segments that are highlighted by embellishing notes, as well as sections that echo each other. These elements combine to bring the musical piece to an emotive climax.

(v) Part 5 recreates the flowing melody of Part 2 to paint a poetic and charming scene. As the last segment trails off, it is as if the peacock is flying towards the horizon, disappearing into the distance.