introduction that song hengchun

1

Introduction

Folk music transcribes daily life of ordinary people and portrays the cultural traditions and natural environment of the land. Among all kinds, the joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness of the locals are shown the most in the folk songs originated from the Hengchun Peninsula of Southern Taiwan. Hengchun folk music has now been acknowledged as one of its intangible cultural heritage of Pingtung County in 2008. However, its lamenting tunes and lyrics fall behind the time and its promotion has hit a wall.

Now, a group of young people work with the traditional artists to change the scene. They set off on the local life in Pingtung County with the element of traditional folk music and invite the local residents to perform in a musical and to sing on streets as special events. They even invite professional musicians of pop music to co-work with traditional artists in order to create fusion songs so the Peninsula folk songs are given new faces and renewed glamour.

"That Song in Hengchun Peninsula" series is composed of three chapters. In chapter one, it starts with basic knowledge about Peninsula folk music and the beauty and sorrow of its century-old history. Next chapter, it tells how a group of professional musicians integrate a number of pop musical elements and how they work with traditional artists to co-create fusion songs with the old tunes. In the last chapter, it begins with real-life stories of grandma singers and how they wrote the script together for the musical while weaving the folk tunes into the show. It also depicts how the three generations, the young, the middle-aged, and the elderly, put makeup on and perform on stage. Lastly, it reveals their thoughts and expectations for the change of the traditional folk music.

That Song

in

Hengchun

Peninsula

1

Time code 00:00

(Music- new version of "Si-xiang-qi")

Time code 00:34

Grandma Ying Chen said,

(Original recording) "Nearly

none wanted to listen to the

song "Si-xiang-qi". When we performed

on the stage, many would leave to use

the restrooms or told us that they had no

interests in it at all."

Time code 00:46

Groaned by Grandma Ying Chen said,

the national treasure.

Time code 00:49


(Original recording) "The young

today are smart. Back in the old

time, we would only do as told, not as

smart as those today. They know what to

do and where to move on."

Time code 01:03

Today, Hengchun Peninsula folk

music is coming back and a cross-

generations musical revolution is back

on.

Time code 01:09

(Music- new ballad version of "Manzhou-

San-Jing")

Time code 01:24

With a leisurely atmosphere and some

relaxing tunes, here we are in

Hengchun town. An adapted ballad

version of Hengchun Peninsula folk

song "Manzhou-San-Jing" is playing

on stage. Audience let go themselves

and echoed with beats and singalongs.

Their presence creates a young vibe

for the Hear Here Music Festival of this

year.

Time code 01:42

Ms. Huang, a local resident in Hengchun

town said, (Original recording) "The

original Hengchun folk music, before the

new arrangement, was popular only

among the locals. Just now, I saw a

grandma playing with several musical

instruments with modern bands playing

on the side or at the back and that brings

a breath of fresh air to our ears!"

Time code 02:05

A moon guitar and the song "Si-xiang-

qi" created a common stereotype for

traditional folk music to the outer

world. Yet, the arrangement of new

fusion songs began three years ago.

Such a change started with the history

of "Hengchun Peninsula folk music".

Series I -

Coming Back of the Peninsula Folk Songs

2

◾ Sung by Early Immigrants, Formed

One-of-a-Kind

Time code 02:35

The Hengchun Peninsula, surrounded

by the ocean on three sides, sits at the

southernmost area of Taiwan. Long

ago, it was populated by several

indigenous tribes (the natives) of the

Paiwan, the Amis, the Puyuma, and

the Plains. After the "Mudan Incident"

in 1874, the viceroy of Qing Dynasty

declared it as Hengchun county when

the edict of "cultivating mountains

and pacifying the indigenous peoples"

was issued. The name, Hengchun,

means "always in spring" in Chinese.

Many famous towns are now part of

Hengchun County, including

Checheng, Manzhou, and Hengchun

towns. Many immigrated to cultivate

the farmland and the unparalleled

songs of life were accordingly born.

Time code 03:03

Associate Professor Chun-bin

Chen said, (Original recording)

"The idea of the anc ien t

Hengchun County is far from that of the

Hengchun town today. The appearance

of Hengchun folk music, in fact, what we

are talking about, had to do with the

establishment of Hengchun County.

Hengchun folk music is being considered

as songs of ordinary people, such as

workers or farmers in old times. People

who were rich and free, had no favor in

these songs."

Time code 03:32

The hometown-leaving and homesick

immigrants randomly hum the

melodies, which slowly grew into the

Peninsula folk music as we know now.

Associate Professor Chun-bin Chen of

the School of Music at Taipei National

University of Arts explained, the

history and cultural background in

this area has its specialty and the

demographic makeup is complicated,

in addition to indigenous people,

there are groups of Hokkien and

Hakka people. Moreover, the

outbound traffic was inconvenient in

early days and that explains why the

Peninsula folk music remains its

original flavor.

Time code 04:01



"Historically, many indigenous

people still resided in that place at that

time. The folk tunes, as a result, were

3

probably mixed with their songs and

some local tunes. With all mixed, the folk

music was formed with its special style

that nowhere else could find."

Time code 04:39

According to recent academic surveys,

the six basic melodies of Hengchun

Peninsula folk music include "Si-

xiang-qi", "Niu-mu-ban tune", "Si-ji-

chun", "Feng-gang-xiao-diao", "Wu-

kong-xiao-diao" and this one "Pingpu

tune".

Time code 04:56

(Music- traditional version of "Pingpu

tune")

Time code 05:16



"The Pingpu tune is commonly

associated with indigenous people's

tunes. As we see, most people singing

the Pingpu tune live in Manzhou town.

The tune, composition wise, repeats the

melody of two lines throughout the

song."

◾ Famous Taiwanese Songs: Adapted

From Peninsula Folk Music

Time code 05:39

The song "Pingpu tune" was sung by

Mr. Ding-shun Zhu, the national

treasure of folk music. It is also called

the "Hengchun tune" or the "Taitung

tune". According to legends, this song

used to be sung by indigenous people

in the first place. Numerous famous

Taiwanese folk songs, such as the

"Farmers' Song", collected in the

textbook of elementary schools,

"Oyster Seller's Wife" and "Three

Times of Groans", are the products of

adaptation of this old tune.

Time code 05:58

Besides, the "Niu-mu-ban tune", used

to be called "the Singing melody" by

the elderly, is now being surmised as

the earliest tune of the Hengchun folk

songs. In the beginning, people sang it

when parents passed away or when

singers wanted to release their inner

laments and dispiritedness. Later on, it

became a song brides sang to bid

tearful farewell to families on the eve

of her wedding day. Singers sing

gently with long breaths and rich

feelings, showing various emotions of

their hearts.

Time code 06:22

(Music- traditional version of "Niu-mu-

ban tune")

Time code 06:45

Grandma Ying Chen, the 88-years-old

national treasure, who just won

official recognition by the Ministry of

Culture of Taiwan government

recalled, in early days, the living

4

conditions on the Peninsula were

quite poor and the atmosphere of

society was conservative. Women did

not have rights to decide for their own

marriages. The "Niu-mu-ban tune"

revealed not only the unspoken

groans in their hearts, but also made

the ladies burst into tears with a rush

of bitterness during singing.

Time code 07:06

Grandma Ying Chen recalled,

(Original recording) "Parents

called the shots. Fathers and

mothers made decisions for our marriage.

It was not like now you choose who you

like the most. Whether daughters liked it

or not, a decision was a decision and that

was why girls sang the "Niu-mu-ban

tune" to lament for themselves. Life was

not easy in old times."

Time code 07:25

(Music- traditional version of "Shou-niu

tune")

◾ Tunes of Peninsula Folk Music

Varied Greatly; Sung in Ever-Changing

Ways

Time code 07:53

In addition to the lamenting "Niu-mu-

ban tune", the "Shou-niu tune", which

was popular only in the Manzhou area,

belongs to the new tunes of modern

time. Legend has it that the tune was

hummed by farmers when they were

driving the cows to graze. Ms. Zhen-

ying Zhao, the general director of

Hengchun folk music promotion

association, told us, there are six

classical tunes and one new tune of

the Peninsula folk music. The melodies

vary from one to another, yet, they

either depict scenery or inner feelings

of singers and were chosen under

different circumstances.

Time code 08:20

Ms. Zhen-ying Zhao said,

(Original recording) "With the

same lyric, it can by all means

be applied with six basic tunes to show

different emotions. Let's say if you want

to give a reminder or to make a note on

something, you might choose "Wu-

kong-xiao-diao", "Feng-gang-xiao-diao",

or "Pingpu tune". With grandma singers,

for instance, they tended to choose "Si-

xiang-qi" when they wanted to introduce

Hengchun Old Town or when they were

talking about something. The choice is

habitual."

5

Time code 08:51

In fact, today, the commonly known

"Hengchun folk music" refers to music

all areas of the Peninsula, including

Hengchun, Manzhou, and Checheng

towns. Though the basic tunes

adopted in each area sound similar,

their ways of singing are different

from each other. Based on the singers'

feelings at the moment, the tunes may

be altered with vocal riffs and runs

according to the accents of the

language terms or the length of beats

may be elongated limitlessly. The

alternations of tunes adjustment are

ever-changing.

Time code 09:17

(Music- "Si-xiang-qi tune" sung by

Grandma Ying Chen from Hengchun

town)

Time code 09:24

Let's take the "Si-xiang-qi tune" sung

by Grandma Ying Chen from

Hengchun town as an example. Her

singing of the first three words of the

song is diverse to that sung by

Grandma Ri-gui Zhang from Manzhou

town.

Time code 09:38

(Music- "Si-xiang-qi tune" sung by

Grandma Ri-gui Zhang from Manzhou

town)

Time code 09:43



"We say that tunes are fixed. It

is not to say single one melody applies to

all lyrics. You can tell that every vocalist

has their way of singing and is not

identical with one another. We see a

similar shared structure if we analyze

their singing methods."

◾ Folk Music Is Life Itself; Lyrics Reveal

the Mundanity of Daily Life and

Emotions

Time code 10:06

Peninsula folk music originated from

its land. Most singers of that time

barely read musical charts. The songs

were passed down by word of mouth.

Grandma Ying Chen said, folk music is

daily life itself. The lyrics transcribe

daily life and emotions. Some were

sung alone, some in duet or choir.

Most songs were independent

6

creations by the vocalists with seven

Chinese characters per line and four

lines per song, which is now

commonly known as the "Qi-zi-zai-si-

ju-lian" (literal meaning: seven

Chinese characters per line and four

lines per song).

Time code 10:28

Grandma Ying Chen mentioned,

(Original recording) "My

singing comes from my own

creations with what comes to my mind.

Like I thought of Hengchun town and we

work here so I sang songs about these

and wrote lyrics about what this place

has to make "Si-ju-lian" (literal meaning:

four lines per song)."

Time code 10:50



"Vocalists start their signings

with a rhythm and you can tell the songs

continue with a certain fixed format.

Adopting that format, vocalists add on

lyrics generated from their thoughts and

go with the flow of the music."

Time code 11:09

(Music- traditional version of "Si-xiang-qi

tune" sung by busking artist Mr. Da Chen)

Time code 11:15

Hengchun folk music is an iconic

symbol of Taiwanese culture and has

been regarded as one of the free spirit

origins for the local independent

music. Surprisingly, the music was, at

a time, almost entirely forgotten

because of the sad melodies and

outdated lyrics. It was so until the year

of 1967 when Mr. Chang-hui Hsu and

Mr. Wei-liang Shi, two local musicians,

began to start up "The Folk Song

Collecting Movement". They found Mr.

Da Chen, a 62-years-old busking artist,

and the world began to pay attention

to Peninsula folk music again.

Time code 11:43


(Original recording) "Mr. Da

Chen was the only busker still

performing. (There was only him?) Yup,

he was the only one still performing on

streets at the time. People would tip him

for his performance. There was no one

else."

Time code 11:57

(Music- traditional version of "Si-xiang-qi

tune" sung by busking artist Mr. Da Chen)

7

◾ Moon Guitar With Folk Music

Became an Iconic Image to All Only for

Last 20 Years

Time code 12:06

What you hear now is the "Si-xiang-qi

tune", played and sung by Mr. Da

Chen. His bass-like voice persuades us

how people should work diligently.

The image of him playing the moon

guitar became iconic to the Peninsula

folk music. In fact, in early days, most

songs were hum without music. Only

in the last 20 years have the songs

been played with music.

Time code 12:27



"Ratio wise, People in

Checheng Town tend to sing with music,

those in Manzhou Town sing without,

while those in Hengchun Town seem in

the middle. Mr. Da Cheng has a strong

influence on our perspectives. Scholars

like us paid visits and asked them

questions like, "Have you heard of Mr. Da

Chen?" And he was the focus of the

conversation. In light of this, local

residents started to realize that these

outsiders came to do recording similar to

Da Chen's singing and they began

emulating his style."

Time code 13:07

Tunes originating from Hengchun

Peninsula slowly drew attention of the

outer world thanks to the short stay of

scholars and the promotion of

homeland education by the local

government. The Pingtung County

Government has begun to hold the

annual "Hear Here Music Festival"

from the year of 2008, inviting groups

of musical artists to perform on stage

or to compete with one another.

Among all, the "Thousands singing

relay with moon guitar" event even

made it to the Guinness World History

and it has become a major cultural

event since then, according to Mr.

Ming-Jung Wu, the Director of the

Cultural Affairs Department.

Time code 13:35

Mr. Ming-Jung Wu said,

(Original recording) "Public or

private sectors of different

fields, like schools, communities,

universities, and folk music association,

started to take part in these events. It was

like this in the beginning, after a few

years, you realize that everyone thinks

that's the way it is."

8

◾ Coming Back of Peninsula Folk

Music; Inspired by the Local Youth

Time code 13:55

The "Hear Here Music Festival" was

held for a decade and it seemed to lack

creativity. The County Government

decided to make a grandiose

transformation for the event in 2018,

attempting to start out again with

innovative style. The government

picked a group of local youth as the

trigger.

Time code 14:12

Mr. Ming-Jung Wu said,

(Original Recording) "At that

time, it struck me and

something peculiar stood out to me.

Many young people relocated to

Hengchun or Kenting had something

special in common. They showed respect

to culture acknowledgement to a certain

degree. It also struck me that they

showed great willingness to build their

foundation in the area and they were in

favor of the traditional culture. Many of

them were professional musicians or

artists. I found it intriguing."

Time code 14:35

This group of youth comes from all

parts of Taiwan, some have lived here

for generations, some came to start up

their own businesses for years.

Because of Hengchun homeland,

musicians are connected with artists.

Now, what kind of chemistry will they

bring in when the youth meets

historical folk music? In the evening,

the garbage truck music played by

moon guitar made it specifically

unusual.

Time code 15:04

(Live recording from street in Hengchun

town) "Folks and villagers, here comes

the garbage truck. May peace be with

you. I am Meng-an Pan, the Magistrate

of Pingtung County. Katabatic wind is

coming. The "2020 Hear Here Music

Festival" is going to be…."

9

Time code 15:17

Mr. Yan-jie Zhang, the producer of the

"Hear Here Music Festival", comes

from Taoyuan, northern Taiwan, and

relocated to Hengchun for his lover

for years. Talking about his planning

for the festival, Zhang took the first

step to tap into the daily life of local

people and emphasized on the

connection between "folk music" and

"local life." It's easy to draw a contrast

between "being innovative" and

"being traditional", however, what

came first was to be questioned by the

elderly.

Time code 15:38

Mr. Yan-jie Zhang said,

(Original recording) "We had

to keep a balance between

being traditional and being creative. We

strove to make creations while keeping

the traditional untouched. So we visited

the elderly ladies one by one, getting to

know how they brought up children, how

their family disapproved of their singing

of folk music, or how they were beaten.

Right, some elderly women were beaten

when they were singing. Not until we

unveiled their stories could we feel

confident to work on the transformation

for the "Hear Here Music Festival" and

how we could earn respect from local

residents."

◾ Production Team Entered the

Residence to Discover the Local

Stories

Time code 16:07

Being questioned by the local

residents, Mr. Yan-Jie Zhang and his

production team spent almost a year

building connections with the

communities, chatting with grandmas,

and listening to their stories of folk

music. Besides, they invited

professional musicians from both

Taiwan and all over the world to

perform for the festival and they also

asked the local residents to play in the

musical. They even successfully

arranged the local elderly to perform

on streets. All these efforts were made

to present the assorted sides of

Peninsula folk music on the premises

of "not losing the traditions".

Time code 16:33

(Live recording from street in Hengchun

t ow n ) " S i - x i an g- q i . . . L a d i e s a n d

gentlemen, my greetings to you…"

10

Time code 16:49


(Original recording) "It is

anything but easy. Grandma

singers are ordinary people. They barely

have performed on the stage ever. I have

deep gratitude to the people of the folk

music associations, located in Manzhou

and Hengchun. It's almost like coaxing,

they told the grandma singers

something like, "Oh, don't worry. You

sing on the stage and everybody loves

your singing" or "You're such a diva!".

That's when the elderly ladies began to

go on stage."

Time code 17:12

Zhang's team, moreover, invited

musicians from South America and

Japan to enter the community by

living with the grandma singers for a

month. They adopted traditional folk

songs as musical elements to co-

create new songs. Besides

transforming the folk music with

unique style and expressions, they

also wanted to draw the youth closer.

Time code 17:31


(Original recording) "Young

people will not sing Peninsula

folk songs if they have no knowledge

about the stories behind, which will

create a gap in the local culture. We

brought in young musicians to stay in the

towns and asked them to compose new

songs based on the classical tunes. Here

comes the new fusion songs. Listeners

may re-learn about the classical tunes via

the new fusion songs and surely they will

fall in love with folk music."

11

Time code 17:51

(Live performance- new fusion song from

"Hear Here Music Festival")

Time code 18:13


(Original recording) "On this

Peninsula, there is a long

history of ethnic integration: Hokkienese,

Hakkanese, Puyuma, and Paiwan

indigenous tribes. That was the origin of

the Hengchun folk music. In a sense, it

doesn't matter if you understand what

I'm singing about. As long as you like the

music, you'd want to know the stories

behind. I believe that's the point of the

whole thing."

◾ Traditional Folk Music With a New

Face; Local Residents Feel the Most

Time code 18:29

Let's hear what the locals say about

the new transformation of folk music.

Time code 18:34

Ms. Zhen-yi Wu, a local resident, said,

(Original recording) "We would go and

listen, to listen to their singing. That kind

of music is attractive to us. If you listen to

the traditional folk music, let me be

honest, I probably stand for an hour, and

leave after shopping. It was like that only

a few years ago. But now, they are trying

hard to collaborate with grandma singers.

Wow! That's really cool."

Time code 18:50

Ms. Huang, another local resident told us,

(Original recording) "I saw many non-

resident young men watching grandma's

singing performance with undivided

attention. I thought it's an important

matter for Taiwanese to learn to cherish

this cultural heritage of Hengchun Town.

In support of this, I come to the festival

every year. Hahaha."

Time code 19:19

The elderly ladies like Xian-nu, who

sells betel nuts for living, Que-yin,

who sells tea drinks on the streets, or

Dong-niang, who sells meals of

braised pork rice, turn into buskers on

the night of festival. They sing folk

songs and stories of their lives. Such

fruitful results arouse strong feelings

in their hearts.

Time code 19:35

Grandma Yang-yue Wang said,

(Original recording) "Let's say,

if we play the traditional tunes,

most of the audience would have left

before we reached half of the songs. So

to me, I think this is good, a definite

plus."

12

Time code 19:49

Grandma Qiu-yue Lin said,

(Original recording) "In the past,

most people only were familiar

with "Si-xiang-qi tune" and considered it

a kind of lamenting and dispirited music.

So now the young people from outside

of Hengchun have arrived and they help

us to enhance the traditional folk music.

Personally, I like it a lot and I'm fully

supporting this idea. I can't wait to see

the new development of Hengchun folk

songs."

Time code 20:12

(Live performance- new fusion song from

"Hear Here Music Festival")

Time code 20:31

Originated from its land and its people,

the Peninsula folk music has a

century-old history. Grandma's

singing and moon guitar playing not

only presented the music to the world

but also started off a musical

revolution.

13

Series II –

Your Old Tune, My New Tune

Time code 00:00

(Live performance from the "Hear Here

Music Festival")

Time code 00:29


(Original recording) "I don't

know about others. I do think

that I am growing younger. Haha."

Time code 00:35


(Original recording) "Some

people comment that the new

tune sounds out of tune or tasteless. Well,

how do you define the taste of tunes?

New elements like atmosphere and vibes

kick in but the old ones are still there. I

see no conflict at all."

Time code 00:51

Pop music versus folk songs, modern

guitar with six strings versus moon

guitar with two strings, here we see

the beginning of a musical revolution

between the old and new generations.

Time code 01:13

On this day, some music flows from

Ximen Square into Hengchun Town.

It's part of the performance from the

"Hear Here Music Festival". The beats

of the song "Raining" are rock 'n roll

style. Its intense music playing draws

the audience headbanging and

shouting out loud with the music. In

less than a moment, the music style

altered suddenly.

Time code 01:32


Music Festival")

Time code 02:02

The tune of "Si-xiang-qi" was playing

on, yet mingled smartly with moon

guitar and rock 'n roll beats. Modern

musicians coming from several places

have been invited to take part in the

annual musical experiment of "Old

tunes with new melodies". Based on

the old tunes of folk songs, the

musicians work with local artists to co-

create a new song. Where did the idea

come from? It started with Summer

Hsu, the main vocalist performing on

stage.

14

◾ In Love With Its Simplicity and

Honesty of Hengchun People, Hsu

Found a Cultural Gap Between The

Older and The Younger Generations.

Time code 02:40

Summer Hsu used to be the main

vocalist of a mandarin pop band, Fun

'n Play. She came to Hengchen to

work on an ending song of a

Taiwanese movie, Cape No. 7. She

came for the sake of scenery and

sightseeing. Never could she imagine

herself falling in love with the honest,

simple, and warmhearted people. She

moved southward in 2012. Unplanned,

she entered local schools and realized

that there is a gap in the traditional

folk music history.

Time code 03:04

Summer Hsu said, (Original

recording) "I found that all

artists were elderly and what

they were good at were considered local

and traditional. They went to schools to

communicate with the kids. To the kids

now, to have them sit still and listen to

traditional folk songs, well, not to the

kids, it would be dull and boring even to

adults like us. The kids can't relate to the

songs because they have never

experienced the same living environment

as the elderly. So I realize this might be a

difficulty, at that moment."

Time code 03:26

The tunes of Peninsula folk music

sound sad and depressing and the

lyrics have nothing to do with our life

today. With such doubts in mind,

Summer took turns to take part in folk

music events. It was until she was

invited to take the post of Music

Director for the Hear Here Music

Festival. She started to study the

history of Peninsula folk music.

Unexpectedly, she found a new world

in spite of working as a professional

musician for many years.

Time code 03:48

Summer Hsu told us, (Original

recording) "I only knew Mr. Da

Chen at that time and had no

knowledge of anyone else. So I said to

myself, alright, let me start my research

with him. I opened my browser and

searched him on Youtube. Wow, he's

pretty cool. His performance touched my

heart. I never paid close attention to his

songs but his lyrics described the ups

and downs of his emotions. His lyrics

even spoke up for human rights of his

generation and also depicted the

inequality of people's life of that time. His

creation was, I would say, the blues of

Taiwan. He is Jimi Hendrix to me."

15

◾ "Old Tunes With New Melodies"

Experiment: Interweaving the New

and Old Generations

Time code 04:18

Since then, Summer not only took

heart in doing research on the

Peninsula folk music, but also

apprenticed to Grandma Ri-gui Zhang,

the national treasure from Manzhou

town. She became a folk music learner.

Meanwhile, the gap problem she had

found a while ago came to her heart

again. Suddenly, she coined with the

idea of "Old tunes with new melodies"

experiment, attempting to interweave

the old and new generations with new

fusion music.

Time code 04:38


recording) "It suddenly struck

me that I could use it to apply

for the Hear Here Music Festival. I have

the youth as resources, whether bands or

something else, and I believe that they

know how to play music, pop music. I bet

they'll be interested in this experiment.

So I reached out and asked them to co-

create new songs with folk music tunes."

Time code 05:06

Yet, adapting the traditional folk

music for co-creation is more than just

words. Century-old folk music versus

new tunes, the youth versus the

elderly artists, they cooperate to

create fusion music. It's not only

redefined the line between traditions

and innovations, but it also aroused

doubts in the hearts of grandma

singers. Zhen-ying Zhao, the Director

in General of the Association of Si-

xiang-qi folk songs promotion

association in Hengchun told us.

Time code 05:28

Zhen-ying Zhao said, (Original

recording) "I think that

grandmas, in the very

beginning, were reluctant. They weren't

clear about the idea behind. To them,

singing is singing. They didn't

understand what was going on."

Time code 05:39


recording) "There were many

difficulties along the way.

Some folk music groups felt they were

being deprived of their own composition.

16

Luckily, these old ladies had trust in us.

We took a bold step to invite musicians,

who make rock 'n roll music, and the

famous bassist, who comes from Hong

Kong and he signed up for the festival on

his own. Grandmas also showed kindness

to help them work on this co-creation."

◾ Local and Foreign Musicians

Cooperate to Look For Creation

Element From Folk Music

Time code 06:08

The production team, in addition to

inviting local bands, honorably had Mr.

Sanpuy Katatepan Mavaliyw, the

winner of the Golden Melody Awards

for the Aboriginal Singer, and Ms.

Yukihiro Atsumi from Japan to stay in

the towns for co-creation. What's

more, the Hong Kong "Movement"

music band, upon knowing this event,

voluntarily signed up for the

performance and flew to Taiwan for

the show. Tony Wang, the main vocal

singer of the local "Monkey Pilot"

music band, who grew up with

western music around, tried his best to

look for new elements from the folk

music and cooperated with grandma

singers to co-create songs.

Time code 06:35

Tony Wang said, (Original

recording) "Their tunes are the

old tunes but not the lyrics.

They sing what they see with the old

tunes. It's improvising. To be honest, I'm

learning myself and I'm trying my best.

I'm looking for ways to blend the folk

music of grandmas with something

modern."

Time code 07:02

Musicians from all over the world tried

playing guitar or African Djembe

along with the moon guitar to induce

the hidden magical power of folk

music. They also tried to let grandmas

sing without moon guitar or without

music. They tried hard to find ways to

play the music in their most

comfortable style while give the most

brilliant performance together.

Time code 07:20


recording) "I didn't tell the

grandmas but I told the young

musicians that this is a pure musical

experiment. There were a few

requirements to meet, for instance, firstly,

they must keep the original melody

untouched. Our composition is to be

changed. That was the first requirement.

Secondly, pop music is precise on beats

and notes, but this is unlike that."

17

◾ New and Old Generations Work as a

Team and Challenge on Another With

Run-ins

Time code 07:44

"(Live recording) Grandma: How is it?

(Youth: "Think of the time when I was

young", is that so? Do it again, do it

again…)

Time code 07:53

The challenge to ask professional

musicians to go under traditional folk

music is way beyond the range of

music. It also included several run-ins

among diversified generations.

"ShyHeyyy" is a local pop music band,

who is taking part in the experiment.

The member of three are in their early

twenties. Ya-ru Yang said, "We were

given a big lesson when we set off to

work with the elderly".

Time code 08:16

Yang shared, (Original

recording) "I thought to myself,

I should chat with grandma

about the song more. So I asked her,

"Grandma, can you tell us something

when you fell in love with your lover?"

Out of my imagination, I thought the

chemistry between them must be strong,

like the romantic lyrics of the song "Four

Seasons Red." Then the grandma replied,

"Nothing to tell. I've never fell in love. I

ran away from the arranged marriage

three times." I felt embarrassed on the

spot and heart-wrenched afterwards for

a long time."

Time code 08:37

Xin-ping Yu, another member

of the music band "ShyHeyyy"

told us, (Original recording) "In

the old times, girls didn't have freedom

to pick for their own marriage. Yet, we're

trying to sing the song with our

perspectives that it's a love affair or some

18

romantic story. We even attempt to have

the grandmas acknowledge us. I feel I

need to handle this issue more carefully."

Time code 08:53

Yu was born locally and grew up in the

city area. He moved to Hengchun

town eight years ago. He confessed

that the folk music was totally strange

to him, and he never had any interests

in it. It was until he began working for

the community services and got to

know the grandma singers, did he

acquire some knowledge about folk

music.

Time code 09:12

Yu kept saying, (Original

recording) "To me, open to folk

music was purely a matter of

personal interaction. I had no idea what

they were singing but when I get along

with the grandmas. Through them, I got

to know folk music."

Time code 09:30

(Live recording) Grandma: "Think of the

time when we were young" that's right.

(Youth: It's good. It's good. "Think of the

time when we were young" is nice. Right,

it's quite good)."

◾ Folk Music Playing Freely; Hard for

the Youth to Adapt

Time code 09:42

Groups of two generations kept each

other's company and became familiar

with each other. They also found a

balance point to get along. As time

went by, the youth began

acknowledging that folk music is

anything but a simple matter.

Ms. Fan Zhuang, the keyboard player,

was born in Hengchun town and

graduated from the Applied Music

Department of the Tainan National

University of the Arts (TNUA).

According to Zhuang, taking part in

the experiment was a big challenge to

her from the beginning. She acquired

no previous knowledge of folk music

and only received formal training of

western classical music.

Time code 10:11

Zhuang told us, (Original

recording) "Hengchun folk

music is not similar to western

music: for instance, there is no bar line in

folk songs. They can add two more

seconds or two more beats during

performance without notice to the band

in advance. I thought to myself, "How on

earth can I play music for them?"

Normally, we change chords every four

beats in a song. But how would I know

when to change chords for them?"

19

Time code 10:36

Zhuang kept saying, (Original

recording) "We tried our best

to keep the original unchanged.

With one subtle change to the song,

grandma singer might feel offended all

of a sudden. They have sung these songs

like this for decades. They'd feel unhappy

if there was someone who popped out

and commanded them "to move onto

the next line".

Time code 10:55

Peninsula folk music is signified with

its free singing style. It is common that

the young and old generations think

in separate ways and play their own

tunes. Yet, they never ceased to

discuss and to find the best

expressions for the music. With

repeated discussions and practices,

they seemed to find a common

ground working together as a team,

said by Grandma Zhang from

Manzhou town.

Time code 11:14

Grandma Zhang said, (Original

recording) "Right, they told us

how to sing and play the music.

They'd leave us alone to play while they

went on their own to test the chords.

After that, we'd play the music

altogether."

Time code 11:25

(Live recording) Youth: "Ah! I forgot to

count down for you…(Grandma: Without

countdown, I don't know how to play it.)

Youth: Hahaha, without five, six, seven,

eight, you can't sing and play the music."

Time code 11:34

Zhuang said, (Original

recording) "My band learned to

play the chords along when

grandma opened their mouth or when

she began to play moon guitar. However,

it's different every time so we got to be

quick at responding on the spot."

20

◾ Finding Common Ground for Two

Generations; Adapted Folk Music Full

Of Creativity

Time code 11:47

In spite of going through the two-

generation run-ins, the young ones,

after chatting with grandma singers

about music and life, recognized that

traditional and modern music have

something in common. Members of

music bands created their own

melodies and lyrics and mixed with

"Shou-niu-diao tune". They not only

created new tunes that sounded

familiar to ears of the new generation

but also conveyed grandma's longing

for seeing children afar.

Time code 12:12

(Music- new fusion version of "Shou-niu-

diao tune")

Time code 12:42

Yu said, (Original recording)

"The problem of population

emigration is severe in

Hengchun Peninsula. I thought to myself,

I am also a traveler of the land and I left

to work for some time. This song seemed

to convey the feelings of the families as

well as the travelers when they were

away."

Time code 13:15


recording) "Not bad. It sounds

like music to me. It was hard to

accept in the beginning. We'd think,

"Wait, how is it so?" Now, it's becoming

a good song to me. It is nice."

Time code 13:23

(Music- new fusion version of "Shou-niu-

diao tune")

◾ With the Presence of Professionals,

the Promotion of Folk Music Is More

Efficient

Time code 14:22

In fact, in addition to the local music

band, this song "Listen to Grandma's

singing" was co-created by grandmas

and a Hong Kong "Movement" music

band, who lived in the town for a

month. They mixed the traditional

folk song with their tune and the new

song was also collected in their official

album.

Time code 14:38

(Music- "Listen to Grandma's singing" by

Hong Kong "Movement" music band &

grandmas)

Time code 15:11

Summer Hsu said that the promotion

of folk music would be more efficient

with the strength of professional

musicians.

21

Time code 15:18


recording) "If you tell the

young kids to "sit and play as

told", it will only create fear in their hearts.

Well, if you get a hottest singer, let's

say…"9m88", and choose one song

composed of folk music and classical

tunes in her album, wouldn't it become a

hit? Of course it would."

Time code 15:37

(Music- "A Long Song" by Mr. Sanpuy

Katatepan Mavaliyw & grandmas)

Time code 16:16

This song, "A Long Song" is composed

of an old melody of the Puyuma

aboriginal tribe mixed with the

classical tune of "Niu-mu-ban tune." It

is a co-creation of Mr. Sanpuy

Katatepan Mavaliyw, the winner of the

Golden Melody Awards for the

Aboriginal Singer, and grandma

singers from Hengchun. This song was

collected in his latest album and was

also performed live at the "Hear Here

Music Festival." It is a song

reminiscent of the homeland. With

music, you are connected to the world

in just a second.

Time code 16:39


recording) "We plan to present

Hengchun Peninsula to carry

symbolic meaning as a place for the

development of world music. Most

people heard about Kenting of

Hengchun Peninsula because of the

Spring Scream Music Festival. The fame

put Kenting as a hotspot for musical

development in Taiwan. But in my

opinion, Hengchun has more than this.

Paiwan aboriginal people, a few

Hakkanese, and newly immigrants now

are the makeup of the local population

and they stand for the idea of world

music."

Time code 17:25

Let's hear what the locals say about

the new transformation of traditional

folk music.

Time code 17:29

Ms. Huang, a local resident from

Hengchun, told us, (Original recording)

"We invite a number of music bands,

they make their creation remix of folk

music so more people become

acquainted with the music. Right, so they

can shake off the stereotype that these

songs are liveless and out of fashion."

Time code 17:42

Ms. Wu, a Hengchun local, said, (Original

recording) "I think it's quite cool. Young

people adopt the thing and turn them

into a new type of music. It's decent. I

started to get acquainted with traditional

folk music thanks to them."

22

Time code 17:53


Music Festival")

Time code 18:17

A night in Hengchun town. People on

stage and off stage sing a new song as

well as an old song together. This

musical experiment of the new and

old generations brought innovations

to the traditions, and also allowed the

youth to get close to the elderly. Their

distance is apparently shortened.

Time code 18:32

Ms. Fan Zhuang, a member of

"ShyHeyyy" said, (Original

recording) "It is the third year

I'm participating in this festival. In fact,

from the first year, I work with grandma

singers every year and watch them

performing on stage. I felt truly touched

deep in heart and their performance

brought tears to my eyes. I admit that I

truly get to understand Hengchun folk

music."

Time code 18:47

Grandma Lin said, (Original

recording) "You expect people

to fully accept your music then

you will have more chances to promote

it and so are the chances to pass down

the music to the coming generation. Isn't

it clear that the way to achieve this is

through the influence of these young

people now? Haha."

Time code 19:00

The newly-coined melody by old and

new generations is now being heard

everywhere in Hengchun town.

Peninsula folk songs depict the beauty

of its scenery, and tell stories of the

local residents. Meanwhile, it also

records a win-win co-creation story

between the old and the new

generations.

23

Series III –

Grandmas Sing for You

Time code 00:00

(Live performance from the musical "The

Chants of Motherland Sagas")

Time code 00:24


(Original recording) "In the past,

parents of two families made a

deal to arrange their children's marriage,

so would it be done. They didn't care

about the daughter's inclination."

Time code 00:34

A Marriage without romantic love

relationship. This is the true story of

how most grandmas got married on

this Peninsula.

Time code 00:41

Grandma Jin-qin Li-xie said,

(Original recording) "Ladies

only had bad luck on this

matter in old times. We sing about our

sadness and it's natural to burst into

tears. There is no way to stop it."

Time code 00:48

Now, grandmas with such a life

experience play the strings of moon

guitar and sing with passion about

their life stories on stage. They also

express all kinds of emotions

embedded in their life.

◾ With the Sound of Moon Guitar,

Days' of Grandma San-Mei Zhang

Turns Colorful

Time code 01:11

On the day, we hear the sound of

moon guitar playing in the

communities of Manzhou Town. 73-

years-old Grandma San-mei Zhang

skillfully plays the moon guitar with

undivided attention. It is hard to

believe that she began learning it for

merely 13 years. Yet, the sound of

moon guitar hides her story that was

unspoken to strangers.

24

Time code 01:43

At 18, she reluctantly got married at

her mother's command. She felt

unfairly treated and had tried to run

away several times. At the end, she

had to take it and made her

compromise.

Time code 01:54


recording) "I had run away

several times before the

wedding day and I failed them all. People

in the past had no place to go when you

ran away. I washed clothes for customers

and cooked in restaurants to make a

living for myself. But bosses didn't

provide housing because I was not

recommended by acquaintance. What

can you do then? I got caught and was

sent back home."

Time code 02:06

Grandma Zhang sounded peaceful

when telling us the story but her eyes

still showed some reluctance. A sense

of unwillingness substituted for the

delightful happiness a bride was

supposed to have.

Time code 02:18


recording) "My mother-in-law

took in a fish stand right after

the wedding. I had to bike to sell fish

since I was 18. I was still like a child but

was asked to do house chores

unceasingly, like remodeling thatched

cottages for the family, feeding pigs,

picking vegetables, or woods. Chores of

all kinds, not to mention, I had to take

care of children at the same time."

Time code 02:38

Prioritizing family's issues before hers,

serving husband unconditionally,

from the day adopting her husband's

surname, Grandma Zhang could never

follow her inclinations in daily life in

spite of the fact that she grew up with

great care and love of her siblings.

When she was about to turn 60, she

unexpectedly heard the sound of

moon guitar. Her dull and tasteless

days became tasteful.

Time code 02:57


recording) "One day I came

back from a fish-selling routine

and went to the stationery store to do

some shopping. I heard that Ms. A-gui

was playing the moon guitar and I was

fascinated by that. The beautiful music

touched my heart so much that I didn't

want to go home. At that time, moon

guitar was seldom available for sale and

luckily I got an old one and somewhat a

broken one. However, I felt so delighted.

I knew nothing about the notes and

scales so I asked around and those who

knew well were happy to teach me how

to play it."

25

◾ Folk Music Playing Is No Spy Game;

Instead, It Is to Break the Chains

Time code 03:34

Grandma Yang-yue Wang, the owner

of the stationery store, who lives

across the streets of Grandma Zhang

and was about the same age as her,

got a second-hand moon guitar for

her. They began singing the folk songs

together as company. They sang the

songs but also expressed their anguish

and sadness in hearts. She

remembered that Grandma Zhang's

husband became quite irritated when

she started playing the moon guitar.

Time code 03:53

Grandma Wang said, (Original

recording) "When Zhang went

to practice the moon guitar, I

had to watch out for her. Her husband

would become enraged if he didn't see

her when he came home. So when her

husband went to handle the fish business,

I had to yell to signal her when I saw his

car driving toward the house. She'd hide

her moon guitar at my place and run

home quickly."

Time code 04:12


recording) "My husband was

quite controlling. He didn't

have a liking for singing and he didn't

allow me to enjoy it either. He never liked

singing. He just never liked listening to

it."

Time code 04:29

Moon guitar playing has become the

new soul of Grandma Zhang and it

also brought the courage she needed

for life. Personally, "playing moon

guitar and singing folk songs" is no

spy game but to break the chains

embedded with traditions.

Time code 04:43

Grandma Zhang told us,

(Original recording) "One day

my husband refused to open

the door for me to enter the house. (He

didn't want to open it for you?) Right,

right. I went around the house to take the

narrow road leading to the backdoor of

my house. I kicked the door open

standing tall and still and we began a real

fighting with each other. After that, he

26

never locked the door again. He would

leave the door unlocked every time I

went out."

Time code 05:02

Now, Grandma Zhang's husband has

passed away for years. All of their

children got married and left home to

make a living on their own. Grandma

Zhang, living alone now, remembers

all the details in the past with the

bittersweet moments in heart. It never

struck her that her life stories would

someday be adopted and be

performed on stage.

◾ A Musical Based on the Real Story of

Peninsula Grandmas

Time code 05:18

(Live recording from the musical "The

Chants of Motherland Sagas") "My mom

got me married at 18. I remember that

one month after my wedding day, my

mother-in-law took a fish stand and a

bicycle and asked me to sell fish

everyday."

Time code 05:34

The transformed "2019 Hear Here

Music Festival" presented the musical

"The Chants of Motherland Sagas".

The musical is based on many real

stories of grandmas from Hengchun

and Manzhou and it is interwoven

with script and folk songs. It tells a

true friendship among three local

women on the Peninsula in a time

when women had no free will to

decide for their lives.

Time code 05:54


recording) "They came to chat

with us but we had no idea that

our stories would be adopted into a

musical show. It has been a long time

since the musical was written when we

were asked to act on stage in the show.

It was hard to reject them, so we said

yes."

Time code 06:09

(Live recording from the musical "The

Chants of Motherland Sagas") "My hands

used to be soft and pretty. Now they are

rough and tanned. My hands become

strong because I had to mix cement,

work on fengshui setting for my family,

and to groom the farm field. There are

too many to mention."

27

◾ Grandmas' Stories and Folk Songs

Are Based on Their True Life

Experiences

Time code 06:23

"With acting and singing, we try to tell

real-life stories of the local women".

Festival producer Zhang told us, "My

team cooperated with two Taiwanese

drama groups, "Tainaner Ensemble"

and "Slash with 3 cats", to write the

play script. In order to make the script

more real to the original stories, we

divided the team into small groups,

spent at least four months to go to

Hengchun and Manzhou to listen to

the stories in person and to have a

taste of the folk music. Each line in the

script and each adapted song in the

musical are based upon their life

experiences."

Time code 06:53

Mr. Zhang kept saying,

(Original recording) "The songs

originated from the singers'

real life experiences and they are not

fictional. The stories are close to reality

and are unique by nature. Every elderly

lady is unparalleled. When woven

together, their stories become a brilliant

story script."

Time code 07:06

(Rehearsal recording from the musical

"The Chants of Motherland Sagas")

Time code 07:13

Ms. Yi-wen Zhu, the Stage Play

Director, said, (Original

recording) "It was not an easy

task. The hardest part was to have the

grandmas off guard because we look too

young to them. It didn't strike me until

the latter part of the script writing that

the songs are appealing only when they

sing the songs. That was when we started

to invite them to be part of it and to sing

in the musical."

Time code 07:40

The 28-years-old director, Ms. Zhu,

was born and raised in Pingtung

County. She admitted that she had

never heard of Peninsula folk music

when she was offered the job. Her

ability of speaking Taiwanese was also

limited so it was absolutely

challenging to her when she had to

communicate with these grandmas or

even to teach them how to act on

stage.

Time code 07:58

Ms. Zhu said, (Original

recording) "Challenging as it

may seem, Hengchun folk

music is traditional by nature and there

are certain fixed rules to follow.

Grandmas have limited flexibility when

singing the songs. Another challenge

was coordination. Grandmas come from

different places, like Manzhou or

Hengchun. That enhanced the levels of

complexity and broadened the range of

discussion topics."

28

Time code 08:24

(Rehearsal recording) Director:

"Grandma, it's great that you remember

what to do just now, but Ms. Feng

secretly gave you a reminder and I heard

it. Ms. Feng, please do not remind her

later…"

◾ Grandmas Lack Acting Experiences

and Everything Seems Like a

Challenge

Time code 08:36

In an attempt to help grandmas, who

had no former acting experiences, act

smoothly on the stage, Director Zhu

offered drama and body language

training courses to these elderly ladies

in advance. She also took them to get

familiar with the venue and the stage

setting of each scene. She hired four

professional actors to perform on

stage along with them with staff

assistance on the side. With all that

being said, everything still seems full

of adventure and challenge to the

elderly.

Time code 09:02


recording) "The most difficult

part was the beginning. The

script is long and there are many parts

that I have to recite. I couldn't fall asleep

several nights and I used cheat sheets,

jotted down the important words,

sticking them all over my moon guitar.

Haha, I wasn't the only one doing so. I

went to the set and everyone else was

also sticking their cheat sheets. I thought

there was only me. It was surprising to

me that they were doing the same as me.

Haha."

Time code 09:25


recording) "There's a feature of

folk music- everyone sings

their own version. You may adjust the

spot where you stand on stage, but you

can't do so with music. There is no

turning back once you start singing.

That's why folk music choir takes more

effort to arrange."

Time code 09:39



29

Time code 10:07

Amateur actresses, who are over 70

years old, act and sing on stage while

reciting lyrics and lines. At the same

time, they have to focus on the

directions of their movement on stage

and manage to present the precise

facial expressions. All these skills are

testing their body strength and

memory. Sometimes, it is also

challenging to the director when they

improvise on stage.

Time code 10:24

(Rehearsal recording) Elderly: No, that

line isn't necessary. It's fine. (Director:

Hold on, who decided that there is no

line here?")

Time code 10:32

Ms. Zhu said, (Original

recording) "There was! There

were some free styles in their

performance. Yet, the most precious part

of their performance fell upon the idea

that grandma singers were not limited to

the lines. Sometimes, they spoke what

came to their minds and we did not

correct them much. Unless, the

improvisation got too long."

Time code 10:49

Grandma Xie said, (Original

recording) "I think the stage

director must be exhausted.

Haha. It's not an easy task to be a director.

She had to run everywhere when we

made wrong moves on stage and she's

too young to correct us directly. Haha."

Time code 11:03

(Rehearsal recording) "(Grandmas:

Where the house is located, that's

Hengchun~ We support you.) Director:

Wait a minute, this could be done better.

Say the line "We support you" out loud

without hesitation."

30

◾ Folk Music Sounds Sad and Plain; A

Real Challenge to the Stage Music

Design

Time code 11:16

Through repeated rehearsals and

corrections, the musical depicts the

various faces of Peninsula women;

amateur actresses began to act

naturally and are familiar with the

beats of music. Compared to other

musicals, the traditional folk music

sounds sad and dull. It gives Mr. Qian-

xin Lin, the music designer, challenges

how to be creative and innovative.

Time code 11:39

Mr. Lin said (Original recording)

"I didn't deconstruct the

traditional folk music because I

thought most people had limited

knowledge of it. In the musical, I didn't

decompose the chords or to deconstruct

the tunes. I only created a new tune to

relate to the original ones."

Time code 11:58



Time code 12:16

Mr. Lin said, (Original recording)

"What was more difficult was

when we intended to change

the ways they sang. That would be a

challenge. I always "got" these elderly

ladies. One asked, "Did we sing so quickly

last time?" I'd reply, "No, you didn't. Let's

sing again." So their singing got quicker

each time they repeated singing. Now,

they can sing at a lively way and an

expected speed."

Time code 12:41

In addition, Mr. Lin also adopted

modern musical instruments, such as

guitar or violin, to mix playing with

moon guitar or erhu. Through these

newly adopted tunes, the classical

tunes, like Pingpu tune or Feng-gang-

xiao-diao tune, get to keep original

and even draw the youth to learn

about it or even to pass it around.

Time code 13:02

Mr. Lin said, (Original recording)

"Folk music is something that

has been passed down from

long time ago. How can we "tune it in"

31

with young listeners? In another word,

my hope is to build the bridge between

two sides with the playing of modern

musical instruments to make

connections with young audiences."

Time code 13:26



Time code 13:45

The musical, which combined modern

and traditional elements, touched the

hearts of these elderly ladies.

Time code 13:51


(Original recording) "We

wanted to let everyone see,

listen to, and fall in love with the

traditional folk music. Without breaking

the old conventions, It'd be hard to be

accepted by the youth. It will never be

passed down by the young people, even

when you sing it well."

◾ the Musical Made Its Debut a Hit

Without Extraordinary Cast

Time code 14:18

Without famous actors or supreme

cast, the musical, which tells stories of

these grandmas in Hengchun

Peninsula, was performed on the first

night of 2019 Hear Here Music Festival.

It not only was a hit to the audience

from all kinds of background but also

made the younger residents

reminiscent of their homeland.

Time code 14:33

Meiqi Chen, a local resident, said,

(Original recording) "It's amazing to me.

In fact, I shed tears during the show. The

lyrics are full of blessings and somewhat

sad. I thought of my own grandma. Folk

music sealed their memory in time

indeed. Every time they sang during the

show, I felt a rush of emotions

skyrocketing to the top of my throat. It's

like seeing my grandma singing and

humming in the old days."

Time code 14:54

Zhenyi Wu, a local resident, told us,

(Original recording) "The festival was

fully packed, so many that some even

stood at the brink of the venue. That

scene is quite surprising to me. At the

moment, I felt quite touched when

seeing the grandma singers at their age

acting on stage with all their hearts."

32

Time code 15:07

The musical, signifying a memory

from homeland and connecting the

old and new local generations, took

the debut by storm and made a hit for

the first performance in 2019. The

second round of performance was

held by the end of 2020, last year, in

Taipei city with a subtle change of the

script. It was also a surprise for the

Taipei audiences.

Time code 15:26


Chants of Motherland Sagas" in Taipei)

Time code 15:46

Ms. Lai from Taipei said, (Original

recording) "There is a moment when the

grandma singers sang to the bride-to-be

granddaughter with "Niu-mu-ban tune".

I felt I was crying my eyes out because

that scene reminded me of my grandma.

That was a really emotional moment.

Actually, for several times. It's a

tearjerker."

Time code 16:04

Mr. Li from Taipei said, (Original

recording) "What I like the most about

the musical is that it puts three

generations of people in one scene. I like

that a lot. Thanks to the musical,

otherwise, I would never get to learn

about Hengchun folk music."

33

◾ Musical Performed in Taipei Enraged

the Residents in Peninsula

Time code 16:24

The musical tells stories of local

elderly. It's full of laughter and tears.

Each show is fully packed with

unceasing cheers at the end. The

musical took Taipei by storm, but

residents in the Peninsula didn't seem

to share the same excitement. The

show made its Hengchun premiere in

2019, yet, the seats at that time were

limited and it was hard to get. Locals

have waited for a year for the second

round of the show in their area but

there was only one performance

ensued in Taipei. In the end, they still

had no chance to see the musical

that's telling their own stories.

Time code 16:56

Ms. Wu, a Peninsula resident, said,

(Original recording) "What a pity. Local

things stay local. This may also help

promote the tourism in Hengchun and

it's a plus to me. People in Taipei should

come all the way here to watch the show,

that's what I mean local things stay local.

It would deprive of the local feelings if it's

not played locally."

Time code 17:10

Ms. Lai, an audience from Taipei said,

(Original recording) "You hold a local

festival, then you should invite more local

residents in Hengchun to take part in it

instead of taking the elderly all the way

from Hengchun to Taipei. The show is

not scheduled to be played where it is

based upon. Don't you find the whole

thing unreasonable? The point falls in the

hometown and more effort should be

put in there instead of bringing the show

to Taipei. I think it's putting the cart

before the horse."

34

Time code 17:33


Chants of Motherland Sagas" in Taipei)

Time code 17:58

A chilly night in Taipei. The singing of

grandma singers resounded in the sky.

Audience sitting on the seats let go

themselves and sang along with

clapping even though the story is

about people in Hengchun Peninsula.

To all the performers and production

team, it was beyond words.

Time code 18:13

Grandma Zhang told us,

(Original recording) "Yes, I felt

so happy. We made a hit on

stage and I'm relieved that we didn't let

the director down. Haha. (Were you

worried?) To tell you the truth, I was

afraid that we would be disappointing to

all. Right, I thought we'd blow it."

Time code 18:25


recording) "What truly moved

my heart was their passionate

response for us. That's the point. That

means Hengchun folk music is valuable

so that they need to be preserved for the

coming generations."

Time code 18:54

Yiwen Zhu, the stage director,

said, (Original recording) "In a

sense, I feel I'm quite lucky to

acquire knowledge of Hengchun. It is

also my honor to stay with these

grandmas for a while and get to learn

about their stories and this land."

Time code 19:10

Setting off from the homeland, the

musical connects the old and the

young generations altogether. It not

only told the local grandmas' stories

but also enriched the value of

Hengchun folk music for coming

generations.

introduction that song hengchun

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