The Buyi folk song in Guizhou Province, China

Abstract

This dissertation is the Buyi folk song in Guizhou province, China. The objectives were 1) To study the status of Buyi folk song tradition in Guizhou Province, China; 2) To analyze the selected Buyi folk songs in Guizhou Province, China; 3) To discover the change in the contemporary status of Buyi folk song in Guizhou Province, China. This dissertation is a qualitative research, including related literature research, observation, interview and questionnaire. The data were collected based on the fieldwork from Artists, Scholar and Professors.

The result as follows: 1) Buyi folk songs have different contents in different periods, reflecting the living conditions of the Buyi people. In the traditional society, the Buyi folk song played the social functions of education, transmission, life etiquette, sacrifice and exorcism. 2) Buyi folk songs can be divided into formal songs and informal songs according to the singing occasions and characteristics. The dissertation taking 6 folk songs as examples. The result analyzed the lyrics, melody, musical structure, harmony and rhythm, and summarizes the musical characteristics of Buyi folk songs. 3) The researcher found four changes in Buyi folk songs in contemporary times: the content of folk songs became positive; The folk songs of the Buyi people were discovered and sorted out in an organized manner. The social function of exorcising evil spirits and eliminating calamities has gradually faded, while the function of entertainment and social interaction has become prominent; The deepening of contemporary social and cultural exchanges has intensified the sinicization of Buyi folk songs.

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