What does it feel like to meet the sea? Being accompanied by the sea here every day makes me feel young and sunny, says Yin Minzhucheng, an independent musician residing on Pingtan International Tourism Island off E China' s Fujian province.

For Yin, he can breathe freely on this island, unheeding the clamors of city life. Here, you can always be yourself.

"Be true to yourself" is the maxim he has been sticking to for 27 years.

I started playing the guitar as a kid because of Jay Chou. At secondary school, I practiced the drum and piano during lunch break. I wanted to major in music at college, but my parents were against the idea. Nevertheless, I was determined to devote myself to music. At college, he let his passion take its course - he rocked and conquered the center stage, taking down every competition that came his way. With his achievements, he got more determined to pursue his music dream.

"Music is part of my life. I can' t do without it." Yin Minzhucheng, now a singer and songwriter, has begun to express himself with music. He channels his thoughts into lyrics and lets out his voice - a way of observing life and easing emotions. Yin was first known in Pingtan for the track Hope.

Pingtan isn' t mentioned throughout, but audiences can feel it. Yin, a native of the hinterland Yunnan province, has been longing for the sea since he was a child, dreaming of living on an island someday. 

"I finally found the island of my dream!" When Yin, a native of the hinterland who has no resistance to the sea, came to Pingtan for the first time and saw the rocking fishing boats under the sunset, he decided to settle down on the island. 

Yin was quoted, "Songwriters are usually sensitive, whose creations must be a record of the current utterance." 

"I came to Pingtan and saw the sunset cast over the beach, against which the waves lapped. A layer of water still lingers on the beach, reflecting all the windmills and the sky. The scene looks as if there is a mirror in the sky." When people asked Yin Minzhucheng about the beauty he sees in Pingtan, he would describe the scenes with delicate adoration, just like the lyrics he composed.

Counting in four years in college and the time he released his first album, Yin has been devoted to music for seven years. "Music has exhausted my youth and compassion," Yin posted on Weibo, China' s Twitter-like platform.

Back then, his career hit bottom. "It seems that as long as you don' t take to the stage, no one will pay attention to you again." Having been affected by the pandemic, Yin Minzhucheng got stuck at home and had no performances. He began to doubt if he could persist. But one day, he accidentally picked up the guitar and sang, and he suddenly understood the importance of music in his life. When he felt abandoned, music was always there, confiding in him and helping him express himself.

"I came to realize that music not only brought me performances and earnings but more spiritual companionship." So Yin restarted his new creations and regarded Pingtan as his new starting point after the two-year trough. He set the first concert of the new album Valley  which condenses his seven years of perspiration at the 68-Nautical-Mile Scenic Area of Pingtan.

"Behind me was all the sea. I felt the same vastness as when I performed Valley, though it was not against a mountain. 

The song Valley  which shares the same name as his new album is Yin's favorite. "Shout out your heart's content, loud enough to be heard." Yin wants to convey a message of never giving up your dreams. Even when you hit rock bottom, believe in tomorrow.

"Ran across the concert in the 68-Nautical-Mile Scenic Area. The last song Valley is impressive." "Wish the singer an instant hit!" commented netizens on Yin’s social media.

Yin felt recognized and happy. "Shout for what you want. You may receive no response, but you might get an echo," said Yin.

To some extent, Pingtan may also be one of the "echoes" on the road of his life. In the beginning, he learned Pingtan from the owner of his music company "Xiaofeng Music Commune." His boss took him to Pingtan. 

Later, they created three music facilities on the island, focusing on music exhibitions and exchanges, combining electronic music, DJ culture, and bar culture, and the exhibition and sale of cultural and creative products.

"These three facilities just serve as a carrier. We can do more on them." Yin and his friends want to bring more people to Pingtan to enjoy the music and make Pingtan a music hub. 

"I haven' t thought about leaving," replied Yin without hesitation when asked about the duration of his stay on the island. He is savoring his relaxing island life. He wants to take the locals to do fun and interesting activities together.

Pingtan also envisions a joyous island featuring music and art. Yin imagines such a picture of ubiquitous street performers, cultural and creative markets, etc. One day, the island will be overwhelmed with music.