Chinese folk artists bring old rap songs to life

With dynamic music and catchy lyrics, singers compete on stage in performances reminiscent of modern rap, except that this is something much older and has completely different roots.

In southern China’s Hainan Province, Danzhou Diaosheng, or Danzhou Rhyming Sounds, is a traditional song and dance form that originated in the city of Danzhou. Called “slow rap” by locals because of its slower rhythm, this national intangible cultural heritage dates back over 2,000 years to the ancient Western Han Dynasty (202 BC – 25 AD), but remains popular today.

“The music makes you happy because the melodies are cheerful. When you are sulking, singing can help you get rid of your bad mood,” says Tang Baoshan, a local inheritor of Danzhou Diaosheng, explaining why the music is so popular.

“Sometimes people sing the same songs for hours,” he added.

Locals hold competitions and stage performances, often with no limit on the number of participants, from a dozen to tens of thousands. “The scenes are pretty spectacular and everyone wants to win their rap battle,” Tang said.

The 75-year-old Tang began learning folk songs as a child and his talent for this form soon became apparent.

He later found a job at a local quarry, where he sang while working. Encouraged by his colleagues, Tang began composing songs in 1976, at least 13 of which won local awards. Three years later, he won the Danzhou Diaosheng Competition and rose to fame.

As time went on, however, he saw fewer and fewer young people willing to learn the art. “I used to earn my living by singing Danzhou Diaosheng,” Tang recalled. “But for the younger people, the income was too low to attract them.”

In 2006, Danzhou Diaosheng was first included on the country’s intangible cultural heritage list. To save the art, Tang teamed up with local experts to compile a book of the songs they found while knocking on doors in communities. More than 1,000 songs were included.

In addition, the city of Danzhou has included the art form in the primary school curriculum, hosts art and cultural events around Danzhou Diaosheng, and promotes it at tourist attractions.

Social media has also helped popularize the ancient art. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tang composed a rap song urging people to protect themselves. The song went viral on the internet.

Thanks to these various efforts, about 85 percent of Danzhou residents know and love Danzhou Diaosheng. Each of the 16 townships has at least three troupes, and the city boasts more than 140 troupes with 20 or more members.

“Danzhou Diaosheng has developed very well, and every village has a large Diaosheng team,” Tang said, adding that on the occasion of festivals, worship services or weddings, people hold large-scale Diaosheng performances in which men and women stand on either side and sing against each other.

Tang himself stages around 100 Danzhou Diaosheng operas each year, with no fewer than 250 performances attracting audiences numbering in the tens of millions. He has also trained over 100 rappers, actors and actresses, and brings the art to every single village.

Nowadays, Danzhou Diaosheng has become a pastime for locals. Tang announced that in the future, he will compose not only in the local dialect, but also in Mandarin and English so that more people can enjoy it.

“Danzhou Diaosheng has a history of a thousand years and is an inseparable part of our Danzhou culture and will never be wiped out as people pass it on from generation to generation,” Tang said. “We will do better and pass it on well.”