Guo Hui, deputy director of the Haimen Folk Song Art Troupe, works at her office. [Photo/Haimen Daily]

Guo Hui, a native of Yangzhou in East China's Jiangsu province, has been dedicated to promoting folk songs in Haimen, a district in Jiangsu's Nantong city, for a decade.

Haimen folk songs are about hope and Haimen natives' spirit of optimism and reveal the history and real life in the district in Haimen dialect.

Guo has been a fan of opera since childhood, influenced by her opera-loving parents. She also dreamed of becoming a writer when she was a child.

In 2012, Guo was admitted to the Haimen Folk Song Art Troupe to work as a producer-director after years of community work led her to discovering her passion for folk songs.

"I didn't understand what my colleagues were talking about at the first art troupe meeting," said Guo. The Haimen dialect was a stumbling block in her pursuit of her dream.

Instead of feeling frustrated, Guo started learning Haimen dialect by reading local literature and buying books on Haimen folk song lyrics.

While studying the Haimen dialect, Guo began taking enjoyment in writing lyrics in Haimen dialect.

She said that people who do not know Haimen folk songs would think the Haimen dialect is hard to understand, but when you really listen carefully to such songs, a whole new world opens.

Guo is currently dedicated to writing Haimen folk songs, and many of her works are popular among natives.

As the deputy director of the Haimen Folk Song Art Troupe, Guo hopes more outstanding talent will join the art troupe to better promote the folk art.