Pursuit of Jade OST — Complete Soundtrack

The original soundtrack for Pursuit of Jade (逐玉) blends traditional Chinese instrumentation with sweeping orchestral arrangements, featuring performances by some of China's most celebrated vocalists. From Zhou Shen's soaring opening theme to intimate character pieces played on guzheng and erhu, the OST is as essential to the drama's emotional impact as the performances themselves.

Opening Theme

"逐玉" (Pursuit of Jade)

Opening Theme Performed by Zhou Shen (周深)

The drama's opening theme, performed by the incomparable Zhou Shen (周深), sets the tone for the entire series from its very first notes. Zhou Shen's ethereal, boundary-defying vocal range — sweeping from a tender whisper to powerful, crystalline high notes — is perfectly suited to a song that must capture both the intimacy of a love story and the grandeur of an empire in turmoil.

The song opens with a solo xiao (vertical bamboo flute) playing a mournful melody before Zhou Shen's voice enters, soft and searching. The lyrics speak of pursuing something precious across vast distances — jade as a metaphor for truth, justice, and love. As the song builds, a full orchestra joins with sweeping strings and thundering percussion, mirroring the drama's escalation from personal story to political epic. The chorus is anthemic and unforgettable, with Zhou Shen's voice soaring over layered instrumentation in a moment of pure emotional catharsis.

The opening theme became an instant fan favorite and trended on Weibo within hours of the drama's premiere.

Ending Theme

"长相守" (Eternal Longing)

Ending Theme Performed by Mao Buyi (毛不易)

Mao Buyi's (毛不易) warm, understated baritone provides the perfect counterweight to Zhou Shen's soaring opening. Where "逐玉" is epic and aspirational, "长相守" (Eternal Longing) is intimate and reflective — a song you'd hear late at night, looking back on everything that has happened.

The arrangement is deliberately spare: acoustic guitar, a single erhu (two-stringed fiddle), and Mao Buyi's voice carrying almost the entire emotional weight. The lyrics are a meditation on constancy — the quiet, unglamorous work of loving someone through danger, separation, and uncertainty. The title "长相守" evokes the ancient Chinese poetic tradition of longing verse, and the song earns that lineage. It plays over the ending credits as scenes from the episode replay in softer, warmer tones — a ritual that viewers came to cherish.

Character Songs

"征途" (The Journey)

Xie Zheng's Theme

An orchestral and martial piece that serves as Xie Zheng's musical identity throughout the drama. Built on a foundation of war drums and low brass, the theme conveys military authority and controlled power. A solo pipa (Chinese lute) carries the main melody — its rapid, percussive plucking style reflecting Xie Zheng's precision and intensity. The piece shifts between restrained tension during investigation scenes and full orchestral fury during battle sequences. A quieter, strings-only variation plays during Xie Zheng's most vulnerable moments, revealing the grief beneath the armor.

"玉心" (Heart of Jade)

Fan Changyu's Theme

A gentle, warm piece centered on the guzheng (Chinese zither), reflecting Fan Changyu's combination of tenderness and inner strength. The melody is deceptively simple — like Changyu herself, it appears unassuming but reveals hidden depth and complexity as it develops. Woodwind harmonies (dizi flute) weave around the guzheng, and the arrangement gradually incorporates fuller orchestration as Changyu's world expands from her humble butcher shop to the corridors of power. The piece never loses its warmth, even as it grows in scale.

"知否" (Do You Know)

Love Theme — Romantic Duet

The romantic centerpiece of the soundtrack — a duet that plays during the drama's most emotionally charged moments between Xie Zheng and Fan Changyu. The song interweaves two vocal lines that begin separately and gradually converge, musically mirroring the leads' journey from strangers to partners. The arrangement blends erhu and guzheng with Western strings, creating a sound that feels both classical and timeless. The lyrics pose a series of tender questions — "Do you know how the wind changes when you enter a room?" — building to a chorus where both voices finally harmonize in a declaration of quiet, unshakeable devotion.

"棋局" (The Game of Chess)

Qi Min's Theme

A tense, cerebral piece for the drama's most complex antagonist. Built on repeating guqin (ancient zither) patterns that feel like moves on a game board, the theme shifts between elegant restraint and sudden dissonance. It captures Qi Min's intelligence, ambition, and underlying loneliness — a man playing a game he can never truly win. Subtle electronic undertones distinguish it from the rest of the soundtrack, hinting at the modernity beneath Qi Min's traditional exterior.

Background Score

The background score for Pursuit of Jade was composed by Roc Chen (陈致逸), known for his work blending traditional Chinese instrumentation with contemporary orchestral composition. Chen's score is widely regarded as one of the finest in recent cdrama history, praised for its restraint, emotional precision, and seamless integration of Eastern and Western musical traditions.

The instrumental palette draws from a core ensemble of traditional Chinese instruments:

Guzheng (古筝) — 21-string zither, used for lyrical and emotional passages
Erhu (二胡) — two-stringed fiddle, providing soulful melodic lines
Pipa (琵琶) — four-stringed lute, used for both gentle arpeggios and intense battle music
Dizi (笛子) — bamboo flute, evoking pastoral scenes and moments of reflection
Xiao (箫) — vertical bamboo flute, used for the most mournful and atmospheric passages
Guqin (古琴) — seven-string zither, reserved for scenes of scholarly contemplation and political scheming

These are supported by a full Western orchestra — strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion — recorded with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. The result is a score that feels authentically rooted in Chinese musical tradition while matching the cinematic scale of the drama's production values. Chen's use of silence is as notable as his use of sound; many of the drama's most powerful moments are scored with a single instrument or no music at all.

Where to Listen

The complete Pursuit of Jade OST is available on all major music streaming platforms:

International Platforms

Spotify — Search "逐玉 OST" or "Pursuit of Jade Soundtrack"
Apple Music — Available in the Soundtracks category
YouTube Music — Official uploads on the drama's channel

Chinese Platforms

QQ Music (QQ音乐) — Full album with lyrics
NetEase Cloud Music (网易云音乐) — Full album with fan comments
Kugou Music (酷狗音乐) — Full album available

Full Track Listing

#	Title	Artist / Performer	Type	Duration
1	逐玉 (Pursuit of Jade)	Zhou Shen (周深)	Opening Theme	4:12
2	长相守 (Eternal Longing)	Mao Buyi (毛不易)	Ending Theme	4:35
3	知否 (Do You Know)	Zhou Shen (周深) & Zhang Bichen (张碧晨)	Love Theme	4:48
4	征途 (The Journey)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	3:27
5	玉心 (Heart of Jade)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	3:54
6	棋局 (The Game of Chess)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	3:10
7	锦州月 (Jinzhou Moon)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	5:02
8	朝堂风云 (Storms of the Court)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	4:16
9	刀光 (Blade's Gleam)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	2:58
10	夜话 (Night Whispers)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	3:41
11	谢府春秋 (Seasons of the Xie Estate)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	4:33
12	市井烟火 (Streets & Smoke)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	3:15
13	阴谋 (Conspiracy)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	3:48
14	战鼓 (War Drums)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	2:44
15	相知 (Knowing Each Other)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	4:07
16	真相 (The Truth)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	5:21
17	团圆 (Reunion)	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	4:45
18	逐玉 — Instrumental Version	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	4:10
19	长相守 — Piano Version	Roc Chen (陈致逸)	Instrumental	4:20

Frequently Asked Questions

Who sings the Pursuit of Jade opening theme?

The opening theme "逐玉" (Pursuit of Jade) is presented here as being performed by Zhou Shen (周深), whose airy vocal style matches the scale and emotion of the drama.

Where can I listen to the Pursuit of Jade OST?

This guide points viewers toward major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, QQ Music, NetEase Cloud Music, and Kugou Music.

Is the OST mostly songs or instrumental score?

It is both. The soundtrack blends vocal themes with a large amount of instrumental score built around guzheng, erhu, pipa, dizi, xiao, guqin, and full orchestral arrangements.