Northwest folk song: Here comes the Caravan 西北民歌《赶牲灵》

民歌是人类文化中宝贵的一个组成部分。它源于人民的生活，充分反映了人民的生活，也广泛而深入地影响着人民的生活。西北民歌是指流行在陕西、山西、甘肃、宁夏、青海等省区的民歌。其中以“花儿”和“信天游”最具代表性。
  Folk song, which originates from social life, fully reflects and  influences people’s daily life, is a treasure of  human culture. Northwest folk songs refer to songs that are popular in Shannxi, Shanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai areas, among which “Flower” and “Soaring Through the Sky” are the two most representative ones.

如诗如画，广袤厚重的西部大地流传着许多与赶牲灵和赶牲灵的脚夫们有关的民歌，《赶牲灵》也是其中之一。陕北道路崎岖重重阻隔，交通运输离不开马牛驴骡这些大牲畜。对于给自己带来极大利益的牲畜们，当地人爱护备至，充满感情，非常亲切地称它们为“牲灵”，好像这些牲畜如人一般有觉悟，有灵性。为了生存，为了贸易，就有了“赶牲灵”的脚夫。赶牲灵的人们笑对人生，用生活创造了这首《赶牲灵》。《赶牲灵》被誉为“中国陕北民歌之首”。
  “Here comes the caravan” is one of the various folk songs talking about driving domestic animals and the porters in the beauteous and vast western landscapes. In northern Shannxi, local transportation relies on larger domestic animals, such as horses, bulls, donkeys and mules due to uneven roads with countless bumps. So local people care these beneficial animals dearly and affectionately, they call them “Animals with spirits” as if they have consciousness and inwardness. Meanwhile, in order to make a living by trade, porters who drive these animals appear. These people keep positive towards life and create the “Here comes the caravan”, which is praised as “The Top Northern Shanxi Folk Song in China”.