Disabled singer revives folk melodies

China Daily

13th August 2026

Disabled singer revives folk melodies

Shaanxi artist uses Shaanbei songs to kindle a love for musical storytelling

By Li Lei

Shaanbei folk songs, a musical storytelling tradition from northwestern China, were once the working chants of farmers in the region. For Wang Zhong, a singer with a walking disability from rural Shaanxi province, they became a mission and a source of strength.

Wang grew up in Zhangjiayao, a small village in the loess hills of northern Shaanxi province. As a child, he often sat silently on field ridges, watching his grandparents swing hoes while singing loud, high-pitched tunes whose rhythm was in sync with the beat of their work.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202608/13/WS6a7d16f9a31073853ec5308e.html