Dong folk traditions come alive in Beijing musical

[Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

"There is an old saying of the Dong people that 'rice nourishes the body and songs nourish the soul'. The tradition of dage is protected and passed down to younger generations. It remains a crucial symbol of Dong identity," says Jiang.

As part of the project initiated by the Chinese National Orchestra, which aims to revive traditional folk music, young composer Chen Si'ang went to Xiaohuang village in October 2012, along with Jiang. Overwhelmed by the sound of dage, Yang was inspired to integrate other Chinese folk music instruments such as erhu and pipa, into Dong music. Sing for Love came out as a result of this effort.

"Although those songs are thousands of years old, I felt connected to the melodies. I hope more young audiences living in big cities can enjoy the art," says Yang.

According to Xi Qiang, director of the Chinese National Orchestra, the orchestra had cooperated with the Singing and Dancing Troupe of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture for an earlier show, called Niangx Eb Sangb, telling an enchanting story of another major ethnic group in southeastern Guizhou, the Miao people, who share the same passion for liquor and singing as the Dong. The show premiered in Beijing in August 2013.

The 2013 show toured much of China and was also staged in the United States and Europe. It also became an often-shown program at tourist destinations in Gui-zhou province.

"Both traditional Chinese folk music and ethnic group music need to be inherited and renovated. We have been thinking about how to make those art forms enjoyable for today's audiences," says Xi, who also mentions that in 2016, he plans to present a concert, gathering ethnic folk instrument players from across the province.