In the outskirts of Shanghai Pudong Nanhui coastal areas，the song of crying for marriage and funeral(哭丧哭嫁歌) which reflect the Han Chinese folk custom has spread for hundreds of years. It is an important part of Shanghai culture.
In Nanhui areas, the bride would be satirized and despised by others if she does not sing the song of crying for marriage when she gets married. The descendants do not sing the song of crying for funeral when the elders of the family is dead. The Song of crying for marriage and funeral in Nanhui area is the best-saved, the most complete, and the most abundant of the Chinese women's boutique literature.
The song of crying for marriage and funeral is a Han Chinese folk song which has been passed down through thousands of years. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period two thousand five hundred years ago, the "Mencius", said: "Zhou Qi Liang's wife Hua Shan crying for her husband becomes vulgar." So the history of the song of crying for funeral can be traced back to Qi State period.
The song of crying for marriage can be traced back to earlier generations. Many scholars believe that was due to the plunder ancient marriage, and later developed by the sale marriage under the patriarchal system. So the song of crying for marriage has handed down.
By the end of Qing dynasty, there are many songs of crying for marriage and funeral in the Baiyang Village Folk Song which was spread in Shanghai Nanhui regions. This records can confirm that the song of crying for marriage and funeral has been popular in Shanghai area in Qing Dynasty.
In Nanhui regions, the content of original ecology song of crying for marriage and funeral is rather abundant. In the old society, Nanhui regions always suffered from typhoon and sea tide which result poor life, so the common people would take advantage of the song of crying for marriage and funeral to express their emotions.
In the past, the coastal region was desolate and out-of-the-way which was just right for the preservation of the song of crying for marriage and funeral.
By 1980s, most of the coastal Nanhui women can sing the weeping song cry. There are alsomany excellent singers, such as Pan Cailain, Zhang Wenxian, Su Yankui Shen Xiaomei (the master of Wang Xuehong), Wang Xuehong and other dozens of excellent singers. In this region, collected Weeping Songs that can be found can reach eight thousand twenty thousand rows. But with the death of the older singers, the song of crying for marriage and funeral in Nanhui areas can be hard to find. So the protection and inheritance of Nanhui song of Crying for marriage and funeral is imminent.
Add on: Baiyang Village Folk Song
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