Guangdong song-art

Guangdong song-art is of a great variety. Those that had been popular in Hong Kong in the middle of the last century include: Nanyin, Muyu, Longzhou, Banyan, Yueou. Douwun masters all of them, and is most well-known for his Nanyin. Nanyin, also known as Dishui Nanyin, is a Cantonese song-art that combines speaking and singing. It was popular around the Pearl River Delta. As a type of traditional Chinese music and a form of oral literature, nanyin is an important heritage both for its artistic and cultural values.
In this section, US-based scholar Bell Yung, who made in situ recordings for Douwun in 1975, Dr Yu Siu-wah of the Music Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Cantonese Opera master Yuen Siu–fai introduce the song-art of Douwun. There are also conversations between Douwun and Bell Yung on the various types of Guangdong song-art.

Bell Yung on the art of Douwun

Bell Yung is an eminent scholar of Cantonese opera and Guangdong song-art. Born in Hong Kong, Yung graduated from the Wah Yan College Kowloon and furthered his study in the US, where he received two doctorates: first a doctorate in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and then a doctorate in music at the Harvard University. Yung returned to Hong Kong in late 1970s and became a Professor of Music at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Chair of Music Department at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). At present Yung is a Professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh in the States.

Bell Yung left the States for Hong Kong in 1974 to undertake his research on Cantonese opera. He happened to have heard Douwun’s nanyin for the first time in the Goethe-Institut. After that he watched him perform in various places like the Art Museum of CUHK and the St. John's Cathedral. Profoundly impressed, Yung decided to make a recording of Douwun’s performance so as to preserve the first-hand experience of nanyin song-art.

“I think most people who research on art history focus on high art. They pay less attention to folk art, and particularly, to documenting the lives of such artists. The song ‘Reminiscence of Douwun the Blind’ documents the plight of an artist of a meager status. It is his perspective, expressed in his own language. I think it is highly valuable to academic research. It is precious material that provides valuable information for those who are to research on folk artists in future. What touches me most is that Douwun, having experienced so much, remains optimistic and forward-looking. He doesn’t grumble or complain. Having learnt about his story, I respect him even more.”

Douwun’s songs are story-telling and ballad-singing from below
Douwun’s songs and his life is respectable

Dialogue between Douwun and Bell Yung on the various singing methods in Guangdong song-art

On the features of Banyan
On the difference between singing Jiexin (Yueou) and Nanyin
On the difference between singing Nanyin and Longzhou

Yuen Siu-fai on Douwun’s song art

Yuen Siu-fai is a renowned Cantonese opera star. He was born in Foshan, Guangdong, and came to Hong Kong with his father at a young age. Yuen made his debut as a child prodigy at the age of seven in film before taking up Cantonese opera, with a career spanning over sixty years. He had received numerous awards for his achievements. He devotes much effort in the transmission of Cantonese opera and education of young singers. He also works with scholars to foster research of Cantonese opera and song art. Yuen is highly proficient in Naamyam singing, and has acknowledged the inspiration from Douwun. In the 1970s, he frequently went to the streets of Mongkok to listen to Douwun. He began learning from his singing style, and was extremely impressed by him. Yuen has recorded many Naamyam songs.

Since the 1970s, Nanyin began to be re-discovered by scholars in Hong Kong and overseas. Douwun’s artistic achievement has become recognized. From singing on the streets, he went on to more formal performance venues, such as the City Hall, Goethe Institute, St John’s Cathedral, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In the Hong Kong Art Festival of 1973-1974, Nanyin was part of a programme that presented traditional culture.

Dr. Yu Siu-wah on Guangdong Nanyin

Dr. YU Siu-wah is Associate Professor, Music Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Yu’s research interests include Chinese Music History, Music of the Manchus and Mongols of the Qing Court, Composition and Performance Practice in Cantonese Opera, Chinese Instrumental Music and Musical Instruments and Music in the Popular Culture of Hong Kong. During his directorship at the Chinese Music Archive (2005-2012) of CUHK, he had contributed to the publishing of Dou Wun’s prestigious South Sound collections. He was also the Chief Editor of the Hong Kong editions of Chinese Opera Music Anthology and Chinese Opera Directory.

Multiple theories on the origin of Nanyin
Guangdong song-art and Nanyin instruments
Additional clips: Nanyin clip: Havoc at Guang Chang Long – in the Temple (zither and clapper by one artist) Longzhou clip: Good Fortune of Dragon Boat (“xiao lougu” style)
DiShui Nanyin – style of the blind
Additional clips: Nanyin clip: Ximen Qing meets Pan Jinlian (Multiple role-play by one artist)
The style of Douwun and other singers
Additional clips: Banyan clip: Landaigu (a song entertains prostitutes and whoremasters) Nanyin clip: Nanshaoyi (an entertaining song full of flexibility and lively elements) Nanyin clip: Old Woman Wang Who Seduces Pan Jinlian (interplay of story-telling and ballad-singing)
Nanyin of prostitutes and erotic songs
Additional clips: Longzhou clip: Singing Good Fortune of Dragon Boat at the Front Door Nanyin clip: Tanwugeng (spontaneous speaking in lyrics)
Nanyin on the radio
Preservation by the people
Reconstructing Nanyin
Writers of Cantonese operas include Nanying in the songs
Personal experience of Professor Yu

Excerpt from Sorrow of the Traveller:
performed by Douwun

Guangdong song-art is of a great variety. Those that had been popular in Hong Kong in the middle of the last century include: Nanyin Muyu Long zhou Ban yan Yue ou All of these song-arts, except nanyin, are extinct. This unit comprises a selection of these valuable tunes, and the long-piece long zhou and ban yan, in particular, are the only existing recordings today.

The autumn breeze comes in good time, and the moon beams in the boundless sky. But I — but I miss you, my lady, I miss you so much that a day gets by like a year. I am Lianxian, by surname Mou; and the lady I miss, a noble courtesan, is Mai Qiujuan. She sings good, she is good; she looks beautiful, and is beautiful, at heart. Now we are separated — separated far apart, and I’m sailing alone, alone and cold, in the dark. At dawn fly pass two swallows; I turn over my mind, quietly, besides the window. Vaguely, vaguely I hear the sound of fallen leaves, and see the withered willow shrouded in snowy mist. I’m sad — as sad as Song Yu — I am sad; on the night of a lonely travel, when no one can hear my regret. Our promise — our old promise do not come in good time as the waves; but the sorrow, so fresh a sorrow, is as boundless as the sea. This night, this place, I see more misery as I miss her under the waxing moon.

Excerpt from Ho Wai Kwan Laments in the Fifth Watch of Night: performed by Run Xin, a blind singer

Nanyin, also known as “blind man nanyin”, is a Cantonese song-art that combines speaking and singing. It was popular around the Pearl River Delta. As a type of traditional Chinese music and a form of oral literature, nanyin is an important heritage both for its artistic and cultural values. Nanyin singers are mostly blind. Male singer is called gu shi (blind songster), while female singer is called gu ji (blind songstress) or shi niang (female blind singer). The performers usually sing and play musical instrument at the same time: a paiban (a clapping board) on the left hand, a zheng (a Chinese zither) on the right, or sometimes accompanied by a ye wu (coconut-shell fiddle) or a yan qin (a kind of dulcimer). In the past, nanyin is often performed in brothel, opium den, restaurant, garden and other entertainment amenity, and sometimes in social club and private office and apartment. Generally, nanyin songs narrate some popular Chinese tales. There are long pieces like Miserable Liang Tianlai and short ones like Sorrow of the Traveller. Sometimes the artist will give an impromptu performance based on current affairs.

In the southern chamber I recline, aching for a man, to the moon I sigh. How to hold back tears from brimming in the eyes? Since we parted we parted like the Cowherd Altair and the Weaver Vega. The fragrance of flowers do not last forever; my youth, too, will not linger for you. Do not lose your heart to withered bloom; come back to me when the time looms. Do you know the story of Xiangru, my dear? As winsome as she is, Wenjun yearns for white hairs.

End of a celebratory long zhou:
performed by Ziu Gam Sing

Singers of long zhou perform in the street. A small gong is hanged around the neck of the singer, who strikes it by a short rod in his right hand. His left hand holds a long stick at shoulder height, on which is affixed a small, wooden dragon boat. The head and tail of the dragon are exquisitely carved, and a red cloth covers its body. Inside are a dozen tiny wooden puppets each grabbing an oar.

Now you’ve finished this song with me, so surely you are a devotee. This is an art of the past, I’m so glad you look it on with favor. I hope you all will find your luck star, and everyone, old and young, will always be filled with vigor.

An impromptu long zhou (about current affairs): performed by Douwun

When the singer pulls the ring down from under the dragon boat with his forefinger, the puppets will start oaring, which symbolizes pushing money forward into the shop. In the Cantonese culture water is symbolic of money. With this ploy and some lyrics of good wishes, the singer will usually perk the shopkeeper up and earn some tips.

(Speech) It’s raining today, but look, it stops when I arrive. How fortunate! Time passes so fast and it’s getting to the Duanwu Festival when we can have fun with the many dragon boats. So goes everybody, men and women and young and old, to prepare well for the racing ritual. Every year we have the Duanwu Festival, every year we see the racing dragon boats. Lawks! They say it’s exceptional to see a good many gweilos paddling along the coast! Recently we compete on the water, so let’s see who’s better, we Chinese or the foreigners. That’s it! Let’s not digress anymore …

Excerpt from Wu Song Offers to the Ghost, a long-piece long zhou: performed by Douwun

Long zhou may also be a long piece sang in nanyin or muyu, but with the faster rhythm its lyrics have to be more succinct. This excerpt from Wu Song Offers to the Ghost narrates the 26th chapter of Outlaws of the Marsh, one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. In the book this part consists of just two or three hundred words, but Douwun performs it in the most thorough and lively way. In the song, he shows and emphasizes the poignant brotherly love between the protagonist and his brother by portraying how Wu Song broke down and wept at the tomb.

Here, my brother, I offer I offer to you in reverence a bunch of bullion and incense and pray, oh pray that your spirit be awaken. Oh dear brother you live weak, but please, oh please open your eyes now to catch and wreak. Brothers are forever; I think of you day and light and kept worrying, when I was gone, that someone will give you a bite. Ah! You should not be so timid in life. Do you remember what I said on the day I left? Keep your eyes open. Now, now it really happens. Woe! There’re only you and me always only you and me. How come you left in a trice and left me in a world bereft! It really happens! Someone destroyed you, oh brother, tell me, tell me who! Show yourself to me tonight, show me the truth of your plight.

Excerpt from The Paramours’ Squabble (aka Puny Tom-Tom), a Ban Yan: performed by Douwun (1)

In the old days, ban yan was almost always performed in brothels as a kind of entertainment for courtesans and their patrons. As it did not get outside of the brothels, this peculiar type of Cantonese song-art vanished with the brothels. The songs of ban yan are about prostitutes, whoremongers and scoundrels. With a staccato rhythm, the songs are full of roguish words, slangs, puns and allegories. It is a challenge to perform ban yan as the artist has to play a large ban wu (a two-stringed fiddle) while singing, and sometimes the singing is blended with spoken words in just one sentence. For the unique environment in which ban yan was performed, the lyrics are often wicked and free of moral compromise, sometimes loaded with lustful words and obscene jokes.

Aiyo! I plod, and plod, and plod, and plod. Know not what to do, gosh! Why? My heart keeps rattling hell of a lot and a lot. You see, I am Puny Tom-Tom, and I pissed everybody off since I was brought forth. No, no, I didn’t piss everybody off but everybody hates me and at me they scoff. You see, I am Puny Tom-Tom, and I made my own tomb: aiya! I learnt not from Guanyin but Ho Er the bone idle. When I was rich, you know, I made Shameen a home. I spent money on river tours, and always spent more than was asked for. Look, look, look! Tonight I sent for Qin Lan, tomorrow I sent for Sui Zan. Another night I would have Sui Choi, and Sui Zhen, and Sui Sim. The whores, you know, ran around me like hobgoblins, but they said I liked toying with new doxy, so in no way they’ll make me a hubby. Now what! Got no place to spend money? No, this lady, Sui Choi, thought I’m honey. She said it strikes her not a bit even with nineteen thousand nine hundred and ninety gifts.

Excerpt from The Paramours’ Squabble (aka Puny Tom-Tom), a Ban Yan: performed by Douwun (2)

In The Paramours’ Squabble, the protagonist Puny Tom-Tom was a debauchee came from a wealthy family. He was profligate, but cleaned out. In the song, Douwun adopts a first-person point of view and plays the roles of the chef, the woman on boat, Sui Choi, the legal advisor and the songstress who sang “Grieve” in the abutting boat. He uses different pitch, tone, volume, choice of words, sentence structure, rhythm, speed, melody and dialect to express the personality, background, occupation and emotion of different characters. In a very sophisticated way he accomplishes this small piece of tragicomedy. His singing is accompanied by a large ban wu, an all-powerful instrument in producing special sound effect.

“Look, I got this spunk of late and opened an opium den the other day…” “Oh it must’ve been doing okay!” “Yea, okay!...” “That’s why I made a little, a little loan. And I want a little more of our own. So I come for you, sweetie… come on, come on… to borrow some money. I won’t owe you very long, say, two or three days and I’ll pay you off. I’ll pay you off.” “Aiyo! Faugh! Faugh! Faugh! Oh my, my, my, my, my! What a shame you say borrowing! How pathetic you are to say borrowing. I see you through whenever you say anything!” “Sod it! You got a magic mirror or something?” “Aha, do you think I am really hooked to you?” “Are you not?” “Faugh! I’m prattling, don’t you see? You think I’m really hooked to you? Screw you! I’m licking bum just for your money. Who’s your honey if you’ve not got money? Aiyo? You don’t know that? I’m a slut, and a slut is hard-hearted. Only for money you are my honey…”

Excerpt from Peach Blossom Fan, a yue ou: performed by Lee Yin Jiao, a blind songstress

Zhao Ziyong, a literati of the Qing dynasty, published a compendium called Yue Ou in 1828. It is a compilation of nearly one hundred songs including both single and suite, which by and large express the melancholy of women in love. This kind of Cantonese song-art is thus called yue ou, based on the name of Zhao’s book, and also mind-easing yue ou because the first song of the book is Easing My Mind. In the past, yue ou was performed by courtesans, as a kind of entertainment, with pipa (a pear-shaped lute) in pleasure boats along the Pearl River coast. Later, some blind songstresses took on the art and made it a popular tune. In Hong Kong, RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong) had also aired a mind-easing programme before the 1960s. This excerpt from Peach Blossom Fan is performed by Lee Yin Jiao, the last blind songstress of Hong Kong. The many lengthened aria cadences she executes in the singing produces a rhythmical effect and gives a poignant, epic touch to the song.

In the southern chamber I recline, aching for a man, to the moon I sigh. How to hold back tears from brimming in the eyes? Since we parted we parted like the Cowherd Altair and the Weaver Vega. The fragrance of flowers do not last forever; my youth, too, will not linger for you. Do not lose your heart to withered bloom; come back to me when the time looms. Do you know the story of Xiangru, my dear? As winsome as she is, Wenjun yearns for white hairs.