Work Songs of Porters of “Nanpu Station”

Work songs of porters of “Nanpu Station” were compiled from accounts and memories given by Chen Shungen, Ju Zhihao, Wang Chengyi and other retired workers. They were once popular at the former South Railway Station (now Shanghai Railway Nanpu Station). In 2007, they were listed by Xuhui District People’s Government in the list of the first batch of District-level Intangible Cultural Heritage in Xuhui District. Near rivers and sea, Shanghai had quickly become China’s largest port since it was opened as a commercial port in 1843. Along with this, a large number of workers specialized in carrying objects emerged at the wharf and station. When carrying, loading and unloading objects, especially large ones, the workers must piggybacked them. According to the size and weight of the objects, 2~8 bars might be used. Because this was a kind of physical labor needing collective collaboration, in order to unify the pace, regulate the breath and release the pressure, the workers often yelled or sang to synchronize their movements. As a result, work songs of porters were popular among workers working at the wharf and station. The work songs generally had no fixed lyrics, and words and expressions of the era (e.g. walk steady, load well) were usually added based on personal preference and era characteristics. The leading singer (i.e. the leading porter) determined the lyrics on his own and led the singing, while others echoed. Sometimes, leading singing alternated with echoes, forming the singing form of multiple voices. Today, work songs have become a distant memory.