Machang folk songs are a traditional music item in the fourth batch of representative items of Huai'an's municipal intangible cultural heritage. Historical evolution and distribution Machang folk songs are a folk music item that is circulated in Nanmachang Township, Xuyang Township, and Xiqiao Town and Qingong Town in Chuzhou District of Huai'an Economic and Technological Development Zone. Machang has a long history. In the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, the area was already a town. In addition, it is located at the junction of Wu and Chu cultures, with a rich cultural heritage, and various folk cultural forms continue to emerge, and Machang folk songs are an example. Basic content and value Machang folk songs are a folk music item that is orally created and circulated by the working people in Nanmachang Township and surrounding areas, and is produced in people's production and life practices. In the process of spreading, Machang folk songs have evolved into many tunes, which contain rich content. It can be mainly divided into the following types: First, the labor tunes that directly express labor life, such as "Picking Grass Tune" and "Sowing Tune"; second, the political songs that expose the darkness of society, such as "Catching Able-bodied Men"; third, the tunes that describe suffering, such as "Begging Song" and "Tears of the People"; fourth, the love tunes that praise the love between men and women, such as "Jun Xiaomei", "Riding a Donkey Flower Drum", "Playing Tooth Cards Tune", "Five-watch Drum Dong", etc.; fifth, the ideal songs that look forward to a better life, such as "Qilin Tune"; sixth, the struggle songs that express resistance consciousness and national spirit, such as "Hundred Tempers into Steel", "Militia Song", "New Four Seasons Spring Tour Yang Wenjin", "Yangge Tune Production Self-help Spring Famine", "Women's Rescue Association Song", etc. Machang folk songs were originally a folk art form for entertainment in production and life. With the evolution of history, they are now not only used as entertainment projects in production and life, but also put on the stage, accompanied by instruments such as erhu, sanxian, castanets, gongs, and drums. Machang folk songs depict the production and life scenes of the local people in a certain period of time, reflecting the people's spirit of fighting against the dark society and their yearning for a better life. (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)