On March 15th, during the Zhanglin Huodi Temple Fair, the Teochew dialect band "Wild Grass Hut" hosted a performance at the Qifeng Chen Shrine in Shantou, elevating the temple fair's atmosphere to a climax. For the band's 40-year-old lead singer, Lin Shusheng, this performance held profound significance because it was his first time singing on stage in his hometown. He believes that dialect music carries a unique cultural memory, much like the enduring vitality of Chaoshan.

Wild Grass Hut Band

Lin Shusheng grew up in Dongli town, Chaoshan, whose childhood was surrounded by sounds, such as the gongs and drums of temple processions, Teochew opera on stage, and lullabies hummed by his grandmother. At 11, he joined a drum troupe, performing with his father and embarking on his musical journey. When he was 16, he left for Wuhan to study and later settled into a stable job in Shenzhen. However, the monotony of daily life left him depressed. In 2013, he formed a band with colleagues, hoping to find an outlet through music. 

Lin Shusheng performing on stage

At first, the band wavered between imitation and experimentation. It wasn't until Lin encountered the music of bands like Wutiaoren and Jiaogong Band that he began to reassess the value of dialect music. He started composing in Teochew, delving into local culture through works like "Trivial Matters of Farmers", a collection of Chaozhou rural literature, and studying the historical origins of the dialect. In the band's song "Night Shift", he incorporated the ancient Chinese term "yǔn yǔn (眃眃)," adding an authentic Teochew flavor to the lyrics. "Discovering that dialect words I'd heard since childhood have roots in ancient texts deepened my respect for Teochew culture," he said.

"Wild Grass Hut" draws inspiration from the land, narrating stories of the Teochew people. "To Siam" recounts the history of overseas Chinese, "Night Shift" portrays the struggles of urban drifters, and "Rush Off" captures Lin's intergenerational dialogue with his father. Lin insists that music doesn't have to be perfect, but it must be "human", rooted in the land and carrying emotions.

Source: Lingnan on the Cloud

野草寮乐队：用潮语音乐重新发现故乡

3月15日，适逢樟林火帝庙会，在汕头澄海区樟林古港的起凤陈公祠，潮汕方言乐队“野草寮”举办了一场名为“老厝扮仙”的演出，将庙会的氛围推向高潮。这场演出对乐队主唱林书盛而言，意义非凡——40岁的他，首次在家乡登台演唱。他相信，方言音乐承载着独特的文化记忆，如同潮汕千年不息的生机。  

林书盛成长于潮汕东里镇，他的童年充满声音——游神的锣鼓、戏台上的潮剧、奶奶哼唱的童谣。11岁，他加入锣鼓队，与父亲合作演出，开启了音乐之路。16岁，他选择远赴武汉读书，成年后在深圳稳定工作。然而，日复一日的生活让他倍感压抑，2013年，他与同事组建乐队，试图在音乐中寻找出口。  

最初，乐队在模仿与尝试中徘徊，直到五条人、交工乐队的音乐让林书盛重新审视方言音乐的价值。他开始用潮语创作，在书籍中探索潮汕文化，阅读《作田人琐事》等潮汕乡土文学，并研究潮汕方言中的“本字”。在乐队作品《轮夜班》中，他运用古汉语词汇“眃眃”，让歌词更具潮汕韵味。他说：“发现从小听惯的方言词汇竟在古籍中有出处，让我对潮汕文化更添敬畏。” 

“野草寮”的音乐源自土地，讲述潮汕人的故事。《过暹罗》记录华侨历史，《轮夜班》描绘都市游子的生存困境，《猛走》则讲述他与父亲的代际对话。林书盛坚持，音乐不求完美，但要有“人味”，要扎根土地，承载情感。  

文 | 羊城晚报记者 王隽杰
图｜受访者供图
译｜盛嘉
英文审校｜赵凡