Folk musicians tell vivid stories in their own words

Beatboxer Zheng Xiangdong, from Chengdu, Sichuan province, has created works that include rapping in his local dialect.

The lyrics and music video for his piece Yanhuo Xiaojiahe (Hustle and bustle of the Xiaojiahe neighborhood) depict the traditional teahouses, mahjong parlors and streets of his community in parallel with the skyscrapers and high-tech zones there, showcasing juxtaposition of the unchanged and the modern.

He hopes the audience will feel the hospitality and kindness of the residents via his song.

Zheng says, as early as 2013, when he participated in reality TV shows, he could feel that dialect-based songs make people happy and alleviate the stresses of daily life. The rise in popularity of short videos in recent years has made this style of music even more popular.

For him, using his local dialect in his music, especially the modal particles, makes it easier to express his feelings and emotions in a more direct and natural way.

Another winner, Wang Zijian, says he wants to show the optimistic and easygoing side of locals in Hefei, East China's Anhui province. With fun music and short videos, he plans to combine elements of Huangmei Opera, a signature of the province, into his works.

Zhang says that their folk music is far more than just applying a traditional melody, or singing in dialect instead of Mandarin. It's about wandering around one's hometown, learning about and feeling the local lifestyle, before making something really different and full of imagery.