The song “Factory” released by the well-known mainland Chinese rapper Zhang Fangzhao is currently making waves in the Chinese music scene. This melancholic tune, which depicts the social reality in Henan, has captured widespread attention, particularly resonating strongly with netizens from Henan and sparking interest both domestically and abroad.
Zhang Fangzhao hails from Jiaozuo, Henan. Recently, during his appearance on the Chinese variety show “New Rap 2024,” he emotionally performed this song. The official account of the “God of Henan Rap” released the music video for “Factory” on the video-sharing platform Bilibili, which has garnered over 2.56 million views and tens of thousands of comments.
The lyrics of “Factory” start with “The factory’s smoke obscures the stars, surrounding villages have been merged by it, the river wasn’t very clear when I was young, now it brings money and disease, those who couldn’t move become nails, and I was lucky to escape from there,” telling the harsh living environment of farmers in Henan.
The scenes depicted in the music video of this song include hazy skies, factory chimneys, dilapidated ruins, impoverished dwellings, and images of many young and old residents.
“Factory” has struck a chord with a wide range of netizens, especially those from Henan.
One netizen, “Pei Mingyuan,” posted saying that the lyrics of this song vividly bring to mind the desolate wastelands, factories, and villages in Henan, the grey skies of the Central Plains, and the bleak streets, where elderly farmers who can no longer work in the fields are seen with their grandchildren nibbling on fingers, older siblings cycling twenty miles to the town to attend high school, only to appear at an internet cafe halfway. After two years, they go to work in a factory, but earn more watching the door at a gambling den. One day, they get into a fight, bleeding, pack their bags, and head to another place to work, disappearing without a trace.
Mr. Chen, from Henan and currently residing in California, USA, was born into a family of migrant workers. He told Radio Free Asia that after listening to this song and watching its music video, he felt that the lyrics were quite real, accurately reflecting the living conditions of Henan’s migrant workers.
Chen mentioned that Henan is a major agricultural province, so “if Henan farmers want to support their families, send their children to school, buy cars, houses, and get married, it costs a lot of money. The money spent on major life events in Henan is not less than what is spent from childhood to adulthood. So, to support their families, they must work outside. Relying solely on the little land at home is not enough to support the family.”
One line from “Factory” that says, “I don’t love this place, I just happened to be born here,” has also touched the hearts of many netizens, with numerous comments from Henan natives pouring in.
Peng Junyu: I’ve been listening to it all day, deeply ingrained in my mind…
Another netizen remarked, “After reading these lyrics, I suddenly realized that there are too many things in China that can be written about,” and “the silent majority has been represented.”