Zhuang Liao Songs
01 · Historical Records
The Zhuang Liaoge are a famous long ancient song of the Zhuang; long recited orally in the Zhuang-concentrated areas of the Youjiang and Hongshui river basins and later worked up by Zhuang men of letters, recorded in the ancient Zhuang script and suitably standardised in form, they became a fairly complete collection of ballads and are a representative work of Zhuang folk literature. They are first found in Song-dynasty records and have been sung in the Youjiang river basin for a long time from the Ming and Qing, forming a pattern of circulation centred on Pingguo and covering Tiandong, Tianyang and other places.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Zhuang Liaoge are a famous long ancient song of the Zhuang; after long oral recitation they were worked up by Zhuang men of letters, recorded in the ancient Zhuang script and suitably standardised in form, becoming a fairly complete collection of ballads. The Liaoge express thought and feeling with vivid artistic images and unfold their plot in a lyrical atmosphere. They are divided mainly into the Day Song, Night Song, Miscellaneous Song and Parting Song, their content mostly reflecting the production, life and love of the Zhuang people. Neat in line and harmonious in rhyme and mostly sung with the padding refrain liao-liao, they take their name from this. Zhuang Liaoge songs are neat in line and harmonious in rhyme.
The Day Song
One of the main parts of the Zhuang Liaoge.
The Night Song
One of the main parts of the Zhuang Liaoge.
The Parting Song
One of the main parts of the Zhuang Liaoge, reflecting the love and parting of the Zhuang people.
The Song Fair
The main occasion of singing and transmission of the Zhuang Liaoge.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Zhuang Liaoge are sung from generation to generation, the song fair being their main occasion of singing and transmission.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The Zhuang Liaoge are a somewhat standardised formatted folk song, transmitted by writing combined with oral transmission. The basic vocabulary, word-formation and grammatical structure they contain embody the rich cultural content of the ancient Zhuang language and have important value for the study of folklore and ancient culture. Today the living transmission environment of the Zhuang Liaoge faces the severe challenge of a modernised way of life, the crisis deepening day by day, and it urgently needs protection. It is a representative work of Zhuang folk literature with important value for the study of folklore and ancient culture, and urgently needs protection and transmission.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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