Journal of Dali University ›› 2026, Vol. 11 ›› Issue (3): 70-.DOI: 10. 3969 / j. issn. 2096-2266. 2026. 03. 010

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An Anthropological Interpretation of the Origin of Forest Work Songs in the Changbai Mountains: A Case
Study of the Evolution of Sighing Melodies from Inside the Pass

Liu Haibo
  

  1. School of Music, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology
  • Online:2026-03-15 Published:2026-04-01

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Abstract:

The Guan Nei sighing melody is a descending vocal form produced by people in Guan Nei （the area inside the Shanhai
Pass） to relieve physical and mental fatigue. This vocal form was carried into the Changbai Mountain forest region by bankrupt farmers
fleeing famine from Guan Nei. Driven by both physical exhaustion and the torment of homesickness, these bankrupt farmers repeatedly
uttered the sighing melody from their homeland during timber-hauling labor. With the accumulation of labor hours, this sighing melody
gradually evolved and differentiated: it first developed musical tones and rhythm during rope-pulling and timber-dragging work, and
later differentiated elements such as meter, mode, and musical phrases during hooking and timber-lifting labor, ultimately developed
into the Changbai Mountain forest work song Da Qiazi Hao. Represented by Da Qiazi Hao, the Changbai Mountain forest work songs are
a meaningful form embodying the vital dynamics of the timber haulers' lives. They manifest the Chinese nation's spirit of striving for
progress and tenacious struggle, recreate the vitality of the Chinese people, and generate a unique beauty of humanity

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