SBY Sings at Democrat Party Lunar New Year Event, Speaks of Chinese Cultural Inspiration Behind His Song
Indonesia's sixth President and Chairman of the Democrat Party's High Council, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), recounted the story behind his self-composed song 'Hening' (Silence), which he said was inspired by Chinese culture. He shared the story whilst attending the Democrat Party's 2026 Lunar New Year celebration.
"I also had the opportunity to sail along the Lijiang River, which was so wonderful. It was there, during the four-hour return journey, that I listened to music with Mandarin cultural nuances. Two years after that visit, in 2008, during a holiday at the Cipanas Presidential Palace, my heart was suddenly moved to compose a song," SBY said at Djakarta Theatre, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (18/2/2026).
SBY then recounted how the song came into being. He composed it whilst recalling fond memories from his visit to China.
"I picked up a guitar at the back of the Cipanas Palace, and whilst remembering my beautiful memory of visiting Nanning, in short, a song was born which I named 'Hening'," he continued.
SBY explained that the song expresses the beauty of Indonesia's natural landscape. He then realised there was a Mandarin touch to the composition.
"The song was actually meant to express the beauty of nature in Indonesian villages. But without my realising it, because I remember visiting Nanning and the Lijiang River, it turned out there was a touch of Mandarin cultural nuance in it," he said.
After sharing the story with the audience at the Democrat Party's Lunar New Year event, SBY proceeded to perform 'Hening'. His performance was met with enthusiastic applause from the attendees.
"I also had the opportunity to sail along the Lijiang River, which was so wonderful. It was there, during the four-hour return journey, that I listened to music with Mandarin cultural nuances. Two years after that visit, in 2008, during a holiday at the Cipanas Presidential Palace, my heart was suddenly moved to compose a song," SBY said at Djakarta Theatre, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (18/2/2026).
SBY then recounted how the song came into being. He composed it whilst recalling fond memories from his visit to China.
"I picked up a guitar at the back of the Cipanas Palace, and whilst remembering my beautiful memory of visiting Nanning, in short, a song was born which I named 'Hening'," he continued.
SBY explained that the song expresses the beauty of Indonesia's natural landscape. He then realised there was a Mandarin touch to the composition.
"The song was actually meant to express the beauty of nature in Indonesian villages. But without my realising it, because I remember visiting Nanning and the Lijiang River, it turned out there was a touch of Mandarin cultural nuance in it," he said.
After sharing the story with the audience at the Democrat Party's Lunar New Year event, SBY proceeded to perform 'Hening'. His performance was met with enthusiastic applause from the attendees.