22:04, 06-May-2019
Chorus of Life: Dong teacher promotes native language's written form through song
Updated
22:00, 09-May-2019
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Dong Chorus, a special vocal art of the Dong ethnic minority, is widely regarded as educational. The lyrics tell people to be faithful and friendly.
But some less popular lyrics are in danger of becoming extinct. The folk songs are spread purely by word of mouth in China's southeastern Guizhou Province due to a lack of written language.
Countryside teacher Yang Hui has committed to popularizing Dong for years. She visits as many villages as possible on weekends and teaches children Dong characters.
It's not an easy job, as spoken dialects vary from village to village. Therefore, more and more local teachers join Yang and contribute to the language pool.