Sounding out

Likewise, he has explored the rich tapestry of Chinese narratives to carve out a space for self-expression.

Take, for instance, the song, Lian (Lit), the title track of the album, LIT.

It derives its name from the Chinese word for lotus — lianhua — which symbolizes purity and nobility in traditional Chinese thought.

The song commences with a grand operatic introduction that recounts the saga of General Xiang Yu (232-202 BC), a tragic hero in Chinese history.

Along with such traditional Chinese instruments as the xiao (a vertical bamboo flute) and pipa (a four-stringed lute), the song also integrates a contemporary industrial bass line, drawing a parallel between the tragic hero, Xiang, and the poetic lotus. Zhang has been called "white lotus "by detractors, who perceive him as less innocent than he appears, and he uses the song to shrug off their criticisms.

The lyrics include the line "taking China to the world", which represents Zhang's greatest ambition.

He has long hoped that more Chinese music could be enjoyed overseas.

"Singles such as Lian (Lit) and Flying Apsaras serve as my 'calling cards'. When interacting with foreign musicians or producers, I often show them the music videos for these songs," he says.

He has found they're most captivated by songs' visual presentations, which is why he invests a lot of time and effort in producing music videos with powerful Eastern aesthetics.

"Numerous treasures from traditional culture await exploration by today's young artists. Through our creativity, we can showcase the richness of Chinese culture to the world in a cool way," he says.

The ambition of "taking China to the world "extends beyond his own music. Recently, he has taken on the role of producer of an online program aimed at forming an influential Chinese girl group.