Research on Dong Songs for Fifty Years

Author: Zhang Zhongxiao, Yang Fanggang / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features:
1. Singing Activities in the Dong Ethnic Group
The singing activities of the Dong ethnic group, except for folk songs, are collective and well-organized. In Dong villages, there are singing teams organized around drum towers or clans, divided into male and female groups. Each team consists of six to ten members, with each person assigned to a high or low vocal part based on their voice. Each team has one or two lead singers called "Sai Ga" (song leader). The qualifications for a song leader include being a good singer, having a good voice, and being knowledgeable. Teaching the singing team is the role of a "Ge Shi" (song teacher), and anyone knowledgeable can serve as a song teacher. The prestige of a song teacher depends on their talent in this field. Singing is primarily done by young people, while middle-aged people sing large songs but rarely folk songs. Some lyrics of large songs can also be sung to the tunes of folk songs.
2. "Stomping the Song Hall" is a ritual performed once a year or every three years. It begins on the third day of the first lunar month and takes place at the "Ancestor Altar" or the drum tower. Led by male and female singers, the men and women form separate lines, holding hands and walking in circles while singing. The lead singers wear formal attire, and the ceremony is very solemn, starting with the blowing of the reed pipes and the firing of iron cannons.
3. "Singing and Enjoying" is a common activity in the daily life of the Dong ethnic group. In the evening, three or five young people gather in a room with musical instruments, chatting and singing. This often happens in girls' homes but sometimes in boys' homes. When they sing happily, they often sing all night until dawn. They call this "Bai An La Mo" (looking for girls), and "enjoying" is called "Niao Wang." The Hakka people call it "sitting with girls," which is the main form of courtship for young men and women. In some areas, there is a "Rush to the Song Fair" event. For example, on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month at the Tianzhu School, there is a singing gathering with as many as 8,900 people attending. It is a large-scale entertainment and courtship event for the masses.
4. The Dong ethnic group also "eats Gu Zhuang" (a traditional sacrifice), which occurs every five, seven, eleven, or thirteen years. Those who do not participate in Gu Zhuang "eat Jia Xu" (another of their festivals), which is held once a year in September. There are no special rituals for eating Gu Zhuang or Jia Xu, but these festivals often include activities like bullfighting and singing.
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