Chong Sau Lin
Chong Sau Lin (simplified Chinese: 张少林; traditional Chinese: 張少林; pinyin: Zhāng Shàolín, born 1946) is a Malaysian singer known for his extensive career singing mainly Hakka language songs, gaining the monikers "King of Hakka Songs" (客家歌王) and "God of Hakka Songs" (客家歌神).
Life
[edit]Chong Sau Lin was born in Sungai Pelek, Selangor, Malaysia to a Malaysian Chinese Hakka family with roots in Huizhou, Guangdong.[1][2] His father ran a Traditional Chinese medicine shop, but it went under and he had to work as a mason and a house painter at the age of 15 to support his family.[2] he began getting involved in music when he was 18, and in 1968 he joined and eventually led a band named "The Red Stars" (紅星樂隊), which was later disbanded.[2][3] In 1978, he wrote "Granny Buys Salted Vegetables" (Chinese: 亞婆賣鹹菜, A Poh Mai Ham Choy), a Hakka version of Sam Hui's "Genius and Idiot" (天才与白痴, from the film The Last Message) with new lyrics about buying Malaysian fruits and vegetables at a market, for singer Chew Chin Yuin (邱清雲), and went on to sing his own version as well. This song became his breakout hit, with a grateful Chew getting him a position at Life Records and has been cited as a major boost for Hakka pop in Malaysia.[4] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Chong continued staying popular with Hakka songs about Malaysian topics.[4][5]
Chong has acted in the Namewee-directed films Nasi Lemak 2.0, Nasi Lemak 1.0 and Kara King.[2] He later colloborated with Namewee to create a Hakka version of his song "Stranger in the North".[1]
Chong held a farewell concert in June 2024, but later clarified that he would continue making music and was merely stopping his performances on stage in the Genting Highlands.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "黃明志「漂向北方」客語版 偕大馬客家歌王張少林唱RAP超受矚目". 客新聞 Hakka News (in Chinese). 24 June 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ a b c d "张少林". 马来西亚华人演艺人公会 Association of Malaysian Chinese Artistes. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ 劉淑娟 (2018-01-13). "張少林以萬變應不變". China Press (in Chinese). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ a b Leo, Jessieca (2015-08-25). Global Hakka: Hakka Identity in the Remaking. BRILL. pp. 72–75. ISBN 978-90-04-30027-9.
- ^ "Localization Process and Cultural Inheritance of Hakka Folk Songs in Malaysia". Art and Performance Letters. 5 (3): 16. 2024. doi:10.23977/artpl.2024.050303.
- ^ "张少林步入80坚决不退休 每天创作扬言"唱到没声音为止"" [Chong Sau Lin at 80: committed not to retire and plans to work every day "until my voice is gone"]. See Hua Daily News (in Chinese). 2024-08-28.