Songs help sailors maintain the rhythm of their work

Wucheng's chanteys have a slow to moderate tempo, depending on the canal course. "Water from four rivers runs into the Wucheng section of the Grand Canal, leading to a surge. To buffer the water speed, the canal course has a zigzag pattern. The chanteys have a slow tempo when boats carefully navigate these twists and turns," Chen explains.

Modern vessels no longer need human strength to steer a course, rendering canal chanteys practically useless, but Chen and Zhao Yiqiang are determined to keep the songs alive. "In fact, chanteys are more than just songs sung by sailors; they embody the development of the Grand Canal culture in Wucheng. We should not forget that," says Chen.

Zhao Yiqiang believes the spirits of sailors who have died are guardians of the chanteys. "When they towed a boat on the banks, each one needed to use his full strength. They remembered that the towline must always be tightened. If a boat was stranded, others rushed to help. The songs were also about solidarity and facing hardships together," he says.

Both Chen and Zhao Yiqiang have upgraded canal chanteys into stage performances, and taught the songs and the stories behind them in local middle schools, but they admit more needs to be done. "It is perhaps difficult to feel the songs unless you have a sailor's blood. Hence, there is a lack of sincerity in learning the chanteys correctly," Zhao Yiqiang says.

"We hope young people today understand the challenge that went behind manning big cargo vessels and how the chanteys helped the tough to get going when the going got tough," he adds.

Zhao Ruixue contributed to this story.