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

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

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 劉淑娟 (2018-01-13). "張少林以萬變應不變". China Press (in Chinese). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  4. ^ a b Leo, Jessieca (2015-08-25). Global Hakka: Hakka Identity in the Remaking. BRILL. pp. 72–75. ISBN 978-90-04-30027-9.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "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.