Hainan's Guangcun town in Danzhou city and Dingcheng town in Ding'an county were recently selected as Chinese folk art towns for the 2018-2020 period, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Danzhou Diaosheng and Hainan Opera, both popular forms of folk drama in Hainan, helped win the honor for the two towns, respectively.
"People in Guangcun town, Danzhou city, old and young alike, can hum a Danzhou Diaosheng tune. This type of folk song has a long history with deep roots," said a director of the Danzhou Cultural Center. The city has been honored as a Chinese folk art town many times since 1996.
Danzhou Diaosheng is a popular type of folk song sung in a local dialect with a lively rhythm and beautiful melody, and is great for those who love to sing and dance. It is known as the "miracle of folk music" and is a significant part of Chinese folk heritage.
In recent years, Guangcun town has played an active role in organizing Danzhou Diaosheng tours to schools, communities, and rural areas and creating an exciting atmosphere. In the Danzhou Diaosheng competition held last year, the Guangcun team ranked first for its outstanding music and ornate costumes.
People in Ding'an often listen to Hainan Opera during holidays. During the Spring Festival, seven Hainan Opera shows were held in Ding'an county, with each show attracting a huge audience. Hainan Opera can be seen everywhere throughout Ding'an.
Liu Dingming, curator of Ding'an county's cultural center, noted that Ding'an has been the home of Hainan Opera since ancient times. According to a survey, about 82.3 percent of Ding'an's population is familiar with Hainan Opera and two-thirds can sing it. Free Hainan Opera performances by folk singing groups have been offered to people throughout a number of towns in Ding'an since 2003.
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