Dong people's chorus threatened

China is celebrating its eighth Cultural Heritage Day this Saturday, an occasion to promote awareness of the preservation of cultural legacies, both tangible and intangible.

Now let's first go to southwest China's Guizhou Province. A popular saying among the Dong people living there is that "Rice nourishes the body and songs nourish the soul". Their tradition of passing on culture and knowledge in music is exemplified in "Ga Lao" or the "Grand Chorus" - multi-part singing performed without the aid of any musical instrument. However, like other cultural heritage in China, it is threatened with dying out.

"Ga Lao" is an important part of Dong culture. You can find people singing in every Dong village.

It is similar to "a cappella". It is usually performed by a large group of people, from dozens to hundreds. The repertoire includes a range of genres such as ballads, children's songs, and songs that test performers' virtuosity by mimicking the sounds of animals.

And there is usually a lead singer who also performs the role of conductor.

Wu Xiuming, "Ga Lao" singer, said, "The lead singer should have a good voice and a good memory because there's a lot of lyrics to remember. And the most important thing is that you should love singing. And of course I love singing!"

Most singers in Wu's village who can do the lead singing are over 50. And fewer and fewer youngsters want to become a "Ga Lao" singer.

Mr. Jia, "Ga Lao" singer, said, "These songs tell the story of us Dong people. They are very important to us and should be passed down to the younger generation. But sadly, fewer people want to inherit this tradition."

Mr. Jia is now 78 years old. He has written down hundreds of songs in notebooks. He hopes the younger generation can inherit them, so they can protect this important heritage and the Dong People tradition remains alive in the future.