Album marries ancient Chinese songs with Western instruments

Singer-songwriter Wakin Chau's idea about his latest album, Jiang Hu, was born in a small noodle restaurant in Taipei six years ago, when he was dining with Taiwan's notable author and literary critic Chang Ta-chun.

Chau suggested Chang write the lyrics for his new album, while he composed the songs. Chang was at first dumbfounded because he has never written lyrics.

That dinner lasted for hours and led to more dinners in the same restaurant before the completion of Jiang Hu, which means "world" in Chinese wuxia (martial arts) stories.