Chaozhou songs refer to the regional folk pieces sung in the local dialect. Profound in history and popular among the public, the precious art with a degree of literary beauty reflects the culture of South China, for it has integrated the convention of poetry, songs, music, melodies, ballads, etc., in ancient times. Moreover, typical of the regional ethnic groups and clans, the local pieces with unique charm play a crucial part in studying regional literature, languages, folklore and history and promoting local arts.

During the Song Dynasty, the Han people, the Tanka people and the She people contributed to a diverse song collection. According to disparate archives, the Ming and Qing dynasties witnessed the prosperity of the vocal art. Later in the modern time, it enjoyed broad popularity where every resident could hum a little tune at any time. Nevertheless, an economy-oriented and increasingly open development comes as a blow to the now endangered art form. It is trying to survive the adverse language, social and cultural settings.

In fact, the traditional tunes contain many national virtues worth spreading. For instance, the lyrics echo the core values of socialism. On the bright side, native migrants and their decedents have kept their traditional melodies alive overseas, which continues their connections with their hometown and the people there. In 2015, Chaozhou folk songs made the 6th batch of the provincial intangible cultural heritage.