She Folk Songs
01 · Historical Records
She folk songs came into Zhejiang with the migration of the She. After the She moved into Taishun in the third year of the Wanli reign of the Ming, 1575, She folk songs took root in this mountain town and were transmitted from generation to generation with the She language. Taishun lies in the mountain country of southern Zhejiang, adjoining eastern Fujian; the She live in compact clans, and the tradition of using song to speak and to narrate has continued here for more than four hundred years. Its tunes are noted as the “Taishun tune”, which shares an origin with the Zhejiang-Fujian tune yet has its own individuality in vocal range and pitch.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
In 1575, after the She migrated into Taishun, She folk songs took root in this mountain town. The She folk songs of Taishun county, Zhejiang, are characterized by soft and gentle speech, often with a subdivided strong beat at the beginning of the line and a drawn-out final note, forming the distinctive “Taishun tune”. Although this tune is broadly the same as the “Zhejiang-Fujian tune” (referring to the shang mode of eastern Fujian and southern and western Zhejiang), it displays its own peculiar individuality in vocal range and pitch because of differences of language and so on. Like She folk songs elsewhere, the Taishun She folk songs take “antiphonal singing”, also called “plate singing”, as their main form; on occasions of weddings and festivities, or when guests come from afar, the She gather in the kitchen or the hall to sing antiphonally, and in antiphonal singing no distinction is made of age or sex, each taking pride in out-singing the other, conversing by song, making friends by song and conveying feeling by song. Another feature of antiphonal singing is improvised composition—singing of whatever is seen, of whomever is seen, singing of everything—making the subject matter of the songs varied and diverse. Its lyrics are plain and natural, fresh and lively, full of the breath of mountain forest, and reflect the character of the customs of the Taishun She.
The “Taishun Tune”
Noted for soft and gentle speech, a subdivided strong beat at the line opening and a drawn-out final note; of common origin with the Zhejiang-Fujian tune yet a style of its own.
Antiphonal Singing (Plate Singing)
Singing antiphonally in the kitchen or hall at weddings and festivities or when guests come from afar, conversing, making friends and conveying feeling by song.
Improvised Composition
The improvisational feature of singing of whatever is seen, of whomever is seen, singing of everything.
Traditional Folk Songs, Revolutionary Mountain Songs and New Folk Songs
The three kinds of Taishun She folk song and their transmitting group of such representative singers as Lei Zixin, Lei Juntu and Lei Shengthai.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Taishun She folk songs may be divided into three kinds: the traditional folk song, the revolutionary mountain song and the new folk song. Taishun She songs are transmitted from generation to generation with the She language; the She love to sing She songs, and such outstanding singers as Lei Zixin, Lei Juntu and Lei Shengthai have emerged locally.
Other submitting regions for the same item: She Folk Songs · She Folk Songs.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The lyrics of Taishun She folk songs are plain and natural, fresh and lively and full of the breath of mountain forest, reflecting the character of the customs of the Taishun She. Such outstanding singers as Lei Zixin, Lei Juntu and Lei Shengthai have emerged locally, enabling the She songs to be transmitted in living form. As a vehicle of traditional She culture, the Taishun She folk songs are of reference value for the study of the She language, folk custom and ethnic cultural exchange in the mountain country of southern Zhejiang, and play a positive role in enriching the people's cultural life and strengthening ethnic cohesion. The local primary and middle schools and She cultural transmission bases have also brought She songs into their teaching, so that this oral tradition is continued among the young.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Lei Meifeng 03-0810
- Lan Chenqi 03-0811
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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