侗族大歌 Dong Minority Big Song

        侗族大歌起源于春秋战国时期，至今已有2500多年的历史，是在中国侗族地区一种多声部、无指挥、无伴奏、自然合声的民间合唱形式。侗族大歌在音律结构、演唱技艺、演唱方式、演唱场合上均与一般民间歌曲不同，它是一领众和，分高低音多声部谐唱的合唱种类，属于民间支声复调音乐歌曲，这在中外民间音乐中都极为罕见。侗族大歌不仅仅是一种音乐艺术形式，对于侗族人民文化及其精神的传承和凝聚都起着非常重大的作用，是侗族文化的直接体现。
        侗族大歌的主要内容是歌唱自然、劳动、爱情以及人间友谊，是人与自然、人与人之间的一种和谐。侗歌讲究押韵，曲调优美，歌词多采用比兴手法，意蕴深刻。作为侗歌中最精华的组成部分，大歌演唱内容、表现形式，无不与侗族人的习俗、性格、心理以及生活环境息息相关，是对侗族历史的真实记录，是侗族文化的直接表现。

The big song in Dong minority is originated in the warring states period with a history of over 2,500 years. It is a natural chorus folk singing with no conductor and no accompaniment. Dong minority big song is a folk support voice polyphony with one singer leading the others and many voices constituting high harmonic bass choral singing. It stands out among ordinary folk music in temperament structure, singing skills and concert performance and becomes extremely rare in both Chinese and foreign folk music. Dong minority big song is not only a musical art form, but it also plays a very extraordinary role in direct embodiment of Dong culture and spiritual heritage and cohesion of the Dong people.
Dong minority big song mainly depicts and in praise of nature, laboring, love and friendship. In a word, it contains all the harmonic aspects between mankind and nature and emphasizes on rhymes, smooth melody and metaphor lyrics and renders profound contents. As an essential element of Dong music, the singing content and performance form are in close attach with customs, temperament, environment and life of the Dong people and are reflecting their authentic history.