[3] The film, like many of the period, details the struggle of the poorer classes, in this case a family of fishermen who are forced to sing on the streets in order to survive.

[4] Subsequently, as we see in the Song of the Fishermen as well, many of the films part of his larger body of work frequently delve into societal issues present in China during the early 20th Century, namely New Women (1935) and Dawn over the Metropolis (1933).

To repay the debts, their mother, Xu's wife, with no other choice, had to leave her own child and become a maid for the He Renzhai, the owners of a privately-owned shipping fleet.

In order of appearance in the film: Between September 19 and 24, 1933, dozens of filmmakers, led by director Cai Chusheng, and his fellow workers were in the area of Shipu, Ningbo, Zhejiang, shooting the Song of Fishermen.

The filming of the movie went through a lot of difficulties, such as Shanghai's typhoon weather, which led to many bumps on the sea, as well as diarrhea caused by unaccustomed to the climate of a new place.

In a letter to Lu Hanzhang, Cai Chusheng recounted the experiences of the entire cast and crew over the past five days.

[7] "Song of the Fishermen" (《渔光曲》) Music composed by: Ren Guang (任光)Songs by: An E (安娥)Sing by: Wang Renmei (王人美) Lyrics[2]Clouds scud across the ocean skyFish hide down in the seas Nets hang in the morning sun to dry Blown by the ocean breeze The tide is risingWaves crash and surgeFishing boats sailing every which wayCast the net lightlyPull the ropes tightlyLaboring in heavy fog to land fish todayThe fish are scarce, and the boat rent is highThe fate of the fishermen is to be poorTake care with that torn net Grandpa left when he diedWe’ll need it to live one winter more Theme & Influence As an interlude, "the Song of Fishermen" is an excellent accompaniment to the film's narrative, telling the story of the suffering lives of the poor fishermen.

[8] "The fish are scarce, and the boat rent is high / The fate of the fishermen is to be poor", which pouring out the fishermen swinging in the sea all day long and working hard, but always can not escape the miserable situation of poverty, but also reveal the hidden in the hearts of the working people can not be stopped resentment.

Ren Guang adopts the traditional Chinese Pentatonic scale,[9] which makes the music's rhythm subdued and soothing, and the melody is graceful and smooth, with a strong sense of life.

[3] It was a revolutionary take on the traditional Chinese opera form, choosing to adopt a more bleak tone, slower overall rhythms, and an overall more realistic approach to making the film.