Sichuan Street Songs (1997)

Plot Summary

In the 1990s, in Chengdu, various small traders and vendors bustled through the streets and alleys, each with their own unique style and distinctive calls, selling a variety of small goods. The camera captures these vendors, some of whom have been selling their wares on the streets for decades. They either turn their product information into unique songs or use rhythmic beats from the instruments they carry as accompaniment. These calls, sometimes near and sometimes distant, resound amidst the bustling crowd, showcasing the distinct characteristics of ethnomusicology. With the advent of globalization and rapid economic development, Chengdu is inevitably transitioning from tradition to modernization. Skyscrapers and modern commercial shopping centers are on the rise and traditional street vending will gradually disappear. This film documents the swan song of traditional street calls as they're slowly engulfed by the tide of modernization.

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