Chinese musician preserves folk art through music

河南林州市第一中學 楊 莉

“Singing is my life and my life is singing, just like other veteran folk artists living in rural areas.Even when they are speaking, you feel like they are singing.” Zhang Gasong, a folk singer born in a mountain village of Northwest China, yearns to become one with his music.

Incorporating Japanese and English into the folk music of Northwest China, Zhang and his creative music videos have gone viral on Chinese social media.Although Zhang now lives in Dali, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, he still returns to his hometown in Northwest China's Gansu Province every year to search for inspiration.“I spend two or three months each year walking around rural villages and talking with folk artists in Northwest China.I have talked to more than 100 folk artists.They are so good at diverse folk arts including dance and telling folk stories,” Zhang said.He is trying to use his music to preserve the culture of the rural villages in Northwest China, which have been changing a lot in recent years, and record the many kinds of folk arts in the region, which are gradually disappearing.“I am also calling on more people to record and remember all these things that make up the true history of the region together with me.”

“Before going to university, I lived in a small mountain village.Although my family and other villagers were all poor at that time, we were happy.I did not have any anxiety.Neighbors helped each other and shared happiness with each other.” After moving to a larger town, Zhang felt that everything had changed.Although his standards of living had improved, he felt it lacked the closeness of his former home since most of his neighbors kept their doors closed all day.“I want to preserve that original lovely town, so in my music you can feel a sense of homesickness.”

Zhang has been inspired by his friendship and cooperation with musicians from various countries around the world.He likes playing music with the foreign musicians he has met in Dali.“They come from Russia, Ireland and Japan, as well as Republic of Korea.Whenever we play the folk music of our homelands together, we are able to quickly understand what we are trying to express.Music is a bridge that breaks through the barriers of language and distance and links us together.”

Critical thinking

What influenced Zhang in his music creation?_