Music of Yunnan
Open-knowledge reference entry
The music of Yunnan, a province in southwestern China, includes the traditional music of many ethnic groups, including the Miao, Hani and Nakhi (Naxi), the last being the most numerous in the area.
There are 24 folk music items of Yunnan that are protected through the United Nations intangible cultural heritage (ICH) list.
The lusheng is a type of mouth organ used by the Miao of Guizhou for pentatonic antiphonal courtship songs. The Hani of Honghe are known for a unique kind of choral, micro-tonal rice-transplanting songs.
Nakhi music
The Nakhi of Lijiang play a type of song and dance suite called baisha xiyue, which was supposedly brought by Kublai Khan in AD 1253. Nakhi dongjing is an ancient type of music related to southern Chinese forms, and is popular today. Both these styles are quite old, which has led Nakhi music to be called a "living fossil" of Chinese music. In addition to donjing and baisha xiyue, a style called huangjing yinyue also has an ancient history in the area, but is no longer known.
Baisha xiyue
Supposedly introduced to the Nakhi by Kublai Khan when he conquered the Kingdom of Dali and received help from a Nakhi leader named Mailiang, basha xiyue is performed by orchestras. There are 24 simple, energetic qupai (tunes) in use.
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