Mountain song - Sanka

An improvised folk song handed down by the Han people, heard mainly in southern China (southwest, central and southern, Jiangnan). It is sung impromptu in the mountains and fields, at work, or at festivals. The lyrics are basically seven lines and four syllables. It is sung to a traditional melody. Originally, it was linked to a similar custom to the Japanese Utagaki, where men and women would sing to each other, and many of the songs are love songs known as love songs.

Many of the ethnic minorities in southern China still have customs that are common to Utagaki, and they actively sing similar improvised folk songs. These folk songs are also called yamauta in Chinese.

Folk songs from northern China called Xintianyou, Hua'er, Pashanko, etc. can also be considered mountain songs, although their forms are different.

[Masanobu Kikuta]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

主として中国南方（西南、中南、江南）で聞かれる、漢民族に伝承される即興的民謡。山野で、労作の場で、あるいは祭礼のおりに即興でうたわれる。歌詞は七言四句が基本。伝統的曲調に当てはめてうたわれる。本来、男女が互いに歌をうたい交わす、日本の歌垣(うたがき)と同類の習俗と結び付いており、歌の内容も情歌とよばれる恋歌が多い。

　なお、中国南方の少数民族もその多くが歌垣と共通する習俗を色濃く残しており、同様の即興的民謡が盛んにうたわれる。その民謡も中国語（漢語）では山歌とよんでいる。

　中国北方の信天游(シンティエンユウ)、花児(ホワル)、爬山歌(パーシャンコー)などとよばれる民謡も、形式が異なるものの、山歌の類だと考えられる。

［菊田正信］

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