The weeding gong-drum song of northern Sichuan is largely distributed in the four counties and three districts of Guangyuan city. Qingchuan weeding gong-drum song is the most representative one. The folk song is usually performed by a group of people while weeding in the corn and soybean field in July and August every year. The weeding gong-drum song not only ensures the progress and quality of weeding, but also makes the heavy manual work easier amid laughter and makes the laborers enjoy pleasure from their work to the full.
When weeding in the corn and soybean field in July and August every year, several or dozens of farm workers concentrate on the hill slope in a solid line. One person sounds the gong while another strikes the drum, singing rhythmically to the beats to boost the morale of the weeders, coordinate the pace, and dispel fatigue. People playing gongs and drums are mostly knowledgeable and prestigious old men or promising young men. The gonger is called "ge lang", and the drummer is called "lian shou" or "tong lu".
The performance of the weeding gong-drum song in a day is roughly divided into six parts. Around 8:00 in the morning, the gong is sounded to tell people it's time to go to work. The gonger walks in front, followed by people coming one after another at the sound of the gong. Gradually a line along the hill path takes form. This is commonly called "qian xian zi" (literally, leading a line). When they arrive at the destination, the gonger starts singing first with a high pitch amid the sound of gong and drum. Following the start is "An wu fang" (literally, comforting the five divinities). Some gongers worship eastern, western, southern, northern and central divinities, and some worship the Heaven, the Earth and people, emphasizing on "favorable climatic, geographical conditions and human support".
The weeding gong-drum song is mainly in seven beats, nine beats, twelve beats and irregular beats. The tunes and lyrics can be divided into 7-word score and 10-word score. There are also many other tunes like 5-word score, traditional lyrics that have been passed down through oral generation, and impromptu lyrics. The weeding gong-drum song has rich content, a simple and unadorned singing and beating style, and a long history. There are more than ten thousand works that have been passed on by word of mouth. The tunes are brief, vivacious, distinctive and infectious. The weeding gong-drum song has greatly enriched the cultural life of people living in the remote mountain area.
