Dongting Fishing Song

Area: Yueyang, Hunan

Year of Application: 2006

Name: Dongting Fishing Song

Applicant: Yueyang City

No.: II-7

Level: Province

Type: Folk Music

Dongting fishing song, normally called the improvisational fishing song (which means fishermen will sing freely to express their emotions), has formed the unique fishing song style around the Dongting Lake area. Early in the Song Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan has recorded in his "The Yueyang Tower" that 'the fishing songs echo, producing supreme pleasure'. Just like other folk music, the Dongting fishing song is also created and developed in the long-term social practice. The varied elements such as political, economic, historical, cultural, customs and language characteristics make its differentiated features. Fishing song is normally improvisationally produced by fishermen when they are moved by what they see. Metaphor is frequently adopted in the song, the artistic image is comparatively monotonous and concentrated, the content is direct and plain; some narrative songs adopt the form of multi-paragraphs. Most love songs have mirrored the fishermen's pursuit of happy life, and depicted fishermen's sincere love and pure sentiments. Children's song, with funny contents, is inspirational and enjoyable. Labour song is a music performed by fishermen to dissipate fatigue when they are sailing a boat, and focuses on the express of improvisational emotion.

Its tune is mainly derived from the widespread local minors in the Dongting area, and is a kind of minor developed with keen regional features. Some vividly represent the happy mood of fishermen. Lantern tune is a kind of folk songs and dances, and it is usually performed with percussion instruments. The flower drum, lotus gathering boat minor and fish and shrimp lantern minor are widely circulated among fisherfolks. Welcoming Song, derived from Wuhua Drumbeat, has expressed the hospital custom of Dongting fishermen with its lively tune.