Like any other ancient nations , the primitive Chinese sang folk songs at hunting , sacrificial rites , wooing , wedding , and pasturing . “The working people sing at their work ; the hungry people sing at their meals”. (the “Book at Poems” ) Most folk songs listed in the guo feng (ballads) section in the “Book of Poems” are of this kind . Such ballads were mostly in the form of four syllables a line . The wide use of the form promoted the development of ballads . Take for instance , the first ballad listed in the “Book of Poems” , “Looking at Waterfowl” . It was a love song sung by a young man wooing a young woman . Its content was fresh and charming and its tonal pattern made it highly singable
　　周南。关雎
　　关关雎鸠，
　　在河之洲。
　　窈窕淑女，
　　君子好逑。
　　South of Zhou : Cooing of Waterfowl
　　By riverside a pair
　　Of turtledoves are cooing ;
　　There’s a good maiden fair
　　Whom a young man is wooing .

　　As mentioned , in ancient times the Chinese music was often confined to the palaces and mansions . The common populace , who created it , was not in a position to enjoy it . In the Sui-Tang Dynasties , this state of affairs began to undergo a change . The fairs held near Buddhist abbeys became places for musical activities . Sometimes , song Dynasty , this state of affairs underwent a fundamental change , with the flourish of the cities and the increase of commercial and handicraft activities . The townspeople were able to find places for their musical activities at “pleasure quarters” and “brothers” . Before the Song Dynasty , music was represented by the court musical activities . After the Song Dynasty , music was represented by the musical activities in these places , and later by the performances in “theatres” , “teahouses” , etc . Since then the history of the Chinese music was concerned with the townspeople’s music ( or the folk music) instead of the court music .

    People pursued music for pleasure . The townspeople were more preoccupied by the “popular music” than by the “refined music” in spite of teachings of Confucianism . Compared with the refined music , the popular music sought after was often music overridden by sensual stimulation , so that the mind of the people might be fully liberated , and that their pursuits for life and love might be fully displayed . For example , the song in a Yuan drama , written by Wang Heqin , as follows:
　　Take Back Home a Drunken Man
　　“My mouth is against his hair . His back is against my breast . I caress his neck with my cheeks . He breathes heavily and sleeps soundly . All night I cannot see his face . And I just comb his back with my teeth”.
　　A few words portray vividly a drunken husband and a sorrowful wife . The song was charming and interesting . It satisfied the recreational need of townspeople and dissipated the anxiety and stress incurred in daily life .

.　　Again take the example of another popular song in the Qing Dynasty :
　　Where is my darling at present ?
　　For whom do blooms open?
　　Why not wild goose brings his letter?
　　Befalls on my hear poor lovesickness .
　　Tears are rolling down my pale cheeks .
　　So much scare and so much sadness .
　　How could woman alone resist?
　　This is fairly shallow song , but is touching .