Hua'er became the only intangible cultural heritage of humanity in Gansu with "Gansu" in its name after it entered the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
Originating in Linxia, Hua'er is a music tradition popular in Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang, as well as parts of Shaanxi and Sichuan. In 2004, Linxia prefecture was named as "Home of Chinese Hua'er" by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association.
Hua'er is more than a performance art, as its academic value in intangible heritage preservation has long been recognized. It is also widely appreciated by researchers for its literary, historic and social values.
