Introduce to Mr. Pan

Mr. Pan Zhng Xing, born in 1943, is the Chairman of Hengchun Folk Song Society after he retired from Manchu Elementary School in 2005. He has many contributions in coordinating entire recruiting, training, meeting, performances about folk songs, and prompts the Yueqin and folk song singing class in schools. His wife, Mrs. Chang Bi In, the chairman of Woman Society works together with him. They both win a reward as the model couple on social education.

Mr. Pan is a successful man, not only he found his second career in promoting Hengchun folk song, his children are all well educated and become young doctors. These make our Manchu (Hengchun) folk song proud. Why? Because the ‘Manchu Tune' is singing:

‘The light winds blow down the hill, and the folk song sings all over the fields. Success indeed is the Folk Song Society. Everybody praises our Manchu County…'

We will sing them not only in Hengchun, but also in Taipei, Tokyo and New York!

Interview _ Mr. Pan

On October 12, our team went to Mr. Pan's home to interview him. He said that the lasting of folk songs demands the effort from everybody. The decline of folk songs is caused by the thought that watching TV is easier than learning folk songs. This twists the meaning what folk songs stand for. Mr. Pan hopes that Hengchun folk songs can be lasted forever and make new culture bred in Taiwan. To share Hengchun folk songs with all other people was Mr. and Mrs. Pan's wish.

Mr. Pan also said that folk song inheritance was a very hard work to do. They went through many difficulties in doing this. But finally, they got the opportunity to bring their Yueqin and perform in United States. Lots of applause and hearty response were won. They hope that they can do more performances internationally like this, let everybody know and get interested in it.

Mrs. Pan said that she hope everybody could learn folk songs. The heavy works and busy life make all the middle-aged and young people have no time to appreciate them any more, so the folk songs declined gradually. However, their minds to prompt Hengchun folk songs are still irresistible no matter how hard it is. They did win the positive response from the public finally after all the hard working and never giving up.

In Mrs. Pan's talking, I realized how hard you must work and how much patience you must have to teach folk songs.There are happiness and sadness in the folk songs. As long as we listen to them carefully, we can understand their meaning and how our ancestors lived, felt and thought. I hope, one day, Hengchung folk songs can be heard all over Taiwan too. (written by Yi-Han)

In this visit to Manchu, I understood not only the customs and traditions but also the happiness and the sadness of the people there. People in Manchu put their living and feeling into the folk songs. Because of this, these folk songs sound very different from ordinary songs.

We interviewed Mr. and Mrs. Pan, and Mrs. Chang. Mr. Pan used to be the president of Manchu Elementary School. Together with his wife and Mrs. Chang, he dedicated himself in promoting Hengchun folk songs after he retired. Mrs. Chang sang several folk songs for us. I think we should not be attracted by the popular music too much and forget the songs from our ancestor. Promoting folk songs is something that we must do no matter how hard it is. It is worthwhile after all! Mr. and Mrs. Pan, and Mrs. Chang also told us many stories. It was really worth for us to pay this visit. (written Gong-ping)

We went to Mr. Pan's home. Mr. and Mrs. Pan and Mrs. Chang served tea and cookie for us very friendly. Mr. Pan used to work in Manchu Elementary School and retired lately. To get to the purpose of our visit, Mr. Pan told us the course of his mind. From his wrinkly face, we saw the hard working of Manchu(Hengchun) folk songs promoting. We took pens and wrote down every word they said. Finally, Mrs. Chang played Yueqin and sang Manchu tune for us. She explained the song to us as she played and sang. She said, ‘Though every tune sounds almost the same, the lyrics are different, some are for the sadness of girls getting married (she must leave her parents and home), and some are for the herding cattle of in one's childhood. In the interview, I was deeply touched by the intention and hard working they devoted to the folk songs. (written by Yi-Hui