Lvsi fishmen's work song [Photo/ntsfy.cn]

The Lvsi fishermen’s work song is sung by fishermen when they work. It is not only a song matching traditional marine fishing operations, conveying labor information and coordinating the pace of the work, but also an entertainment for fishermen expressing their feelings and emotions. It is even a musical historical dataset that records traditional marine fishing operations.

The song is popular in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, such as Lvsi port town of Qidong, northern Haimen, Rudong and parts of Dafeng district. It is most popular and well-developed in Lvsi port town.

Lvsi port town is situated in northern Qidong. It was abundant in water grass, elk, seabirds and red-crowned cranes in ancient times. Lvsi’s salt and fishery industries flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911), when it was one of four renowned fishing grounds in the country. During that time, the Lvsi fishermen’s work song reached the height of its popularity.

Since work songs are passed down orally and are popular among folk people, they are seldom recorded academically. Therefore, it is hard to find the real origin of the Lvsi fishermen’s work song. In old fishermen’s memory, it is passed down by generations and sung during work to coordinate the movements.