The melodious nanyin (southern tunes) is sorrow-provoking. While nanyin in the broad sense can be traced to ancient times, we are unable to ascertain when exactly Guangdong’s nanyin emerged. During Daoguang’s reign in the Qing dynasty, there was a book called Cantonese Folk Songs, which is a compilation of numerous 7-character sentences written in Cantonese and remains the earliest known folk literature of narrative singing in the Canton region. In the early 20th century, nanyin was widely-liked in Hong Kong. Among the most talented local singers of dishui nanyin at that time was DOU Wun, who was praised as a virtuoso blind musician. He was born in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, in 1910, and lost his eyesight permanently when he was just 3 months old. At the age of 7, he was brought by his family to a blind musician to learn fortune-telling. Later, DOU went to live in Guangzhou with his master. However, DOU had no passion for fortune-telling; instead, he took pleasure in slapping a bamboo plank with another, and in singing wooden fish tunes on the street as a way to earn a living. Gradually, DOU got close to some blind musicians who sang nanyin, and became SUEN Sang’s student. The 1920’s and 1930’s were turbulent times in Mainland China, so DOU came to Hong Kong to make a living. Back then, prostitution was still legal in the city. DOU enjoyed popularity among prostitutes and clients for his fabulous singing until prostitution was banned in 1935, which seriously affected his livelihood. After the war, he performed as a street singer again, but nanyin lovers no longer lingered in alleys, instead they listened to radio broadcasts in herbal tea shops or at home. However, DOU had already gained some fame at that time. Therefore, he was later invited by Radio Hong Kong to perform at the radio station regularly until the programme was terminated in 1970. In order to make a living, he had no choice but to go back on the street and perform in front of Sun Wah Theartre on Arg