About
If people today were to sing Hakka mountain songs, what would they sing?
For many years, ZiXuan & Slow Train have continued to create music in the Hakka language. They’ve broken through the public’s perception that Hakka music is always centred on rural life, family ties and nostalgia, by incorporating social issues and observations of daily life into their work. In their songs, you can also hear puns that are more familiar to Taiwanese listeners, as they playfully weave Hakka vocabulary and humour into the melody.
In their music, the Hakka language is one that continues to respond to the times and breathe in unison with contemporary society. Through their music, you’ll hear a contemporary Hakka spirit that is both deeply rooted in tradition and brimming with innovative energy.
About ZiXuan & Slow Train
ZiXuan & Slow Train have received four Golden Melody and Golden Bell Awards, becoming one of Taiwan’s most recognized voices in contemporary mother-language music. Growing up in a multilingual family shaped by both Hakka and Taiwanese cultural influences, ZiXuan’s songwriting is deeply rooted in everyday life, local identity and the emotional ties between people and the places they come from. Performing in Hakka, Taiwanese and Mandarin, his music captures the struggles of urban life, the feeling of returning home and the quiet emotions carried by ordinary people.
Beyond music, ZiXuan is also known for his work in community-based cultural revitalization. In recent years, he returned to his hometown of Hsinchu and transformed a space inside the historic Dongmen Market into “Dongmen REC&LIVE,” a hub for live music, recording and creative exchange. Since 2020, he has also led Old Town Party, a grassroots arts and music initiative that brings musicians, artists and creators from Taiwan and abroad into Hsinchu’s old town district. In a city internationally known for its technology industry, ZiXuan continues to use music and cultural action to reconnect people with local stories, neighbourhood spaces and the evolving cultural life of the city.
Dates & Times
Tickets
No tickets required
Venue
235 Queens Quay W.
Toronto, ON, M5J 2G8