Chongqing - Tracing its lineage from the ancient Bayu dances to the Tang Dynasty's Zhuzhi melodies, Mudong Folk Songs boast a long history and have been passed down through millennia. Situated on the banks of the Yangtze River, Mudong Town in Chongqing served as a confluence for diverse regional cultures, and has nurtured the Mudong Folk Songs that capture the very essence of the Bayu people’s lives and emotions.

The origins of Mudong Folk Songs can be traced to the Bayu song-and-dance traditions of ancient times, when people expressed their feelings and conveyed messages through song in their labor and daily life. These melodies serve a dual purpose: they are "prayer songs" for bountiful harvests and a brighter future, yet they also pulse through seasonal festivals and bustling markets. Whether sung as solos or in choruses, they are full of the rustic emotions of the Bayu people.

The principal vocal form is Helai, traditional mountain songs sung to alleviate fatigue while weeding the rice paddies. In the fields, distinct vocal techniques such as Gaoqiang (high-pitched aria), Pingqiang (level intonation), Aiqiang (muted cadence), and Huaqiang (ornamented melody) emerged spontaneously, each possessing its own unique charm.

Mudong Folk Songs echo through the rolling fields amid daily toil, yet they truly come alive on stage at traditional galas like the Spring Festival and Dragon Boat Festival. On more formal performance occasions, male performers wear front-buttoned jackets paired with cloth caps, while female performers wear side-fastening tunics with flowing skirts or trousers, accented by headscarves, aprons, and other accessories.

Singers weave vivid gestures and expressions into their performance to enhance its emotional appeal. For instance, when depicting scenes of toil, their choreographed movements are so evocative that the audience is transported directly into the heart of the labor.

Every landscape molds its own: the Ba people have forged a resilient life amidst the rugged mountains and flowing waters, finding their strength and spirit in the bold, untamed melodies of their folk songs.

Qin Qiuyue, a graduate of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, chose to forgo opportunities to study abroad and instead returned resolutely to Mudong Town. There, she studied under Yu Lianghua, a national-level inheritor of the Mudong Folk Songs intangible cultural heritage project, continuing the legacy of these melodies and eventually becoming a municipal-level representative inheritor.

Singing is both a devoted pursuit of art and an act of selfless legacy—a truth Qin Qiuyue holds close to her heart.

She has rallied a growing number of young people to the Mudong Folk Song ensembles, collaborating to breathe life into Grandfather’s Mountain Song—a masterpiece that has struck a profound chord with listeners.

Caught in the tide of pop music, Mudong Mountain Songs now stand at a crossroads of fresh potential and unprecedented strain. This mirrors a broader quest to define China’s cultural heritage: how to evolve and thrive in the modern era.

Chinese script: Fan Wenrui

Tutored by: Yang Huanlan

Translation: Yan Yu

Tutored by: Wei Jingjun, Jiang Jun