In the small, picturesque village of Xiaohuang, nestled deep in the heart of the Dong ethnic region of Congjiang county, Guizhou province, an ancient tradition still resonates.
The dongzu dage, or Grand Song of the Dong people, continues to echo through the voice of one remarkable woman: Pan Sayinhua.
At 82 years old, she remains one of the last great bearers of this living tradition. A national-level inheritor of the dongzu dage, she has spent her entire life singing, teaching, and preserving the music that defines the identity of her people.
Unlike much traditional Chinese music, which is often monophonic — built on a single melodic line — the Grand Song is polyphonic, weaving multiple independent vocal lines into breathtaking harmony. The result is a layered choral sound both ethereal and powerful, captivating listeners across generations.
Sung almost exclusively a cappella, the harmonies are complex. Singers rely on their vocal strength and ability to harmonize in ways not commonly found in other traditional music.
In recognition of its uniqueness and cultural significance, UNESCO inscribed the Grand Song of the Dong ethnic group on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
On March 17, President Xi Jinping visited a Dong village of Zhaoxing in Liping county, Guizhou. There, he watched a Grand Song performance and toured the village to observe its landscape and the Dong culture display center.
Xi remarked that the stilted houses, ancient villages, traditional musical instruments, the Grand Song and batik craftwork — these ethnic characteristics are both ancient and modern treasures.
Lifelong devotion
Xiaohuang village is nestled in a tranquil valley, surrounded by lush green mountains, where time seems to slow down and a small river gently meanders through.
Pan's journey with the ancient music form began long before she could even understand the words she was singing.
"I started singing when I was 4 or 5 years old, as soon as I could talk," Pan recalls.
"My mother and grandmother sang, as did all the women in our family. Singing has always been part of our lives — not something you learn separately but something you breathe every day."
Pan's earliest memories were filled with the harmonies drifting through the village, melodies that were not just notes and rhythms but stories, histories and emotions woven into the fabric of her daily life.
Even as a child, Pan quickly became known for her exceptional voice, often leading the group at festivals and ceremonies, a role she still cherishes today.
She remembers how, at 16, she became one of the lead singers in her village's Grand Song group, especially during the vibrant New Year celebrations, when the entire community would gather in the grand tower to sing late into the night.
"To be chosen as a lead singer is a great honor," she says.
"Only the best could lead, because the whole sound depends on them. A strong high voice is essential."
Pan finds joy in the act of singing. "When I sing, I feel lighter. Even if I am sad, singing lifts my spirits. The songs carry our emotions, culture and memories."
However, the world has changed, and Pan feels the tradition faces grave risks.
"When we were young, we had no distractions," Pan says.
"Today, children are busy with schoolwork and phones, and don't have time for singing. It's different now. I can't teach them all the songs I know, and I worry that some of these songs will be lost."
For Pan, the change is not just about free time but about shifting priorities. Whereas the older generations learned to sing and understood the deeper meanings of the Grand Song from a young age, today's youth have fewer opportunities to engage with their cultural heritage.
The songs, once woven seamlessly into everyday life, are now something fragile that must be carried on with conscious effort.
Her fears are grounded. The Grand Song is an oral tradition, preserved entirely through memory and repetition. Without a written script, the Dong people encode stories, values and history in their songs.
"The lyrics of those songs are beautiful, and rich with stories of love, family and life. We don't have our own written script, so these songs are our written culture. If we lose them, it would be a great tragedy," she says.
"If I could write, I would write down all the songs. But I can't, so I teach them by memory. I hope those who learn will carry them forward."
Over her long career, Pan has fought to ensure the tradition survives. She has taught many students in her village and beyond — over 1,000, maybe many more, she says with a smile.
She has also recorded over 500 songs to create an audio archive for the next generation. Since many of Pan's students are children, and because of the complexity of the Grand Song, she cannot teach them the full breadth of the tradition.
"I focus more on simpler children's songs," she says.
"These are easier for the kids to understand and provide them with a foundation. As they get older, they can learn more complex songs."
Collective dedication
Pan is not alone in this effort. Across Congjiang, dedicated cultural workers and fellow singers share her mission.
Wu Wenqian, 56, the vice-president of the Dong ethnology research society in Congjiang, has spent three decades collecting and preserving songs.
"Culture is the collective artistic achievement of a community, shaped and created over thousands of years. It is the result of shared experiences, traditions and values passed down through generations. Therefore, ethnic culture is not something easily obtained; it is precious and hardwon," he says.
Dongzu dage stretches back more than 2,500 years, and these songs embody the deep cultural heritage and wisdom of the Dong people, Wu says.
He and his team travel from village to village to visit the elders. If there are lyrics they don't understand, they ask the elders to explain them, then translate the lyrics so that more people can understand them.
"We know that in a large choir, one person stands with a baton to guide the group. But in a Dong choir, even with hundreds of singers, there is no conductor. It is harmony without direction, a pure connection between voices. That is why the world recognizes it," he says.
Yang Guangxin, 49, also an inheritor of the Grand Song from Chaoli village in Congjiang, learned to sing from her grandmother at 13.
"There are different types of songs in the Grand Song tradition, but I have a particular fondness for the narrative songs that are rich in meaning. The most cherished are the 'root songs', which tell of origins and ancestry," Yang says.
Teaching remains central to preservation. Besides recording songs, the teachers, like Wu and Yang, also translate songs into Mandarin so that more people can understand and appreciate them.
At the same time, young artists experiment with fusion, blending the structure of Grand Song with modern genres.
Wuyue Chan'ge, which literally means "dancing music, cicada song", is an ensemble composed of graduates and students majoring in music at schools in Guizhou. Most of its members were born in the 1990s and 2000s.
They performed for the massive hit movie, Ne Zha 2, early this year, drawing inspiration from the traditional Grand Song. It was well-received and put the ancient music form in the spotlight again.
Such efforts have inspired others.
Jia Ruishan, 20, who also comes from Chaoli village, is a lead vocalist of a rock band she founded with her friends.
"We want to create an original song that incorporates elements of the Grand Song, while blending in our rock style. We really like that genre," she says.
"The Grand Song's rhythm actually fits rock very well."
Jia's band gave its first performance in the county square. "Although it was a small show, it was still our first meaningful success, and we were pretty happy."
While the challenges of time and technology weigh heavily on her heart, Pan remains steadfast in her commitment to preserving the music.
So, for her, these experiments bring hope. She knows traditions must evolve to survive.
The songs belong to everyone who loves them, she says, adding that if young people find their own way to sing, then the music will continue.
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