Xinjiang: A living tapestry of intangible cultural heritage
Xinjiang Uygur Muqam Art
The Xinjiang Uygur Muqam art is a comprehensive art form that integrates singing, dancing and music. It is a collective term for the different Muqams which are performed in Uygur-inhabited areas across Xinjiang. Among them, the "Twelve Muqams" are the most widely performed in southern Xinjiang and in Ili prefecture in northern Xinjiang.
Muqam is the outstanding classical music of the Uyghur people, referring to a grand suite of musical compositions. It is a vast artistic creation and a treasured legacy of the Uyghur people, widely praised as the "Pearl of Eastern Music".
In 2008, Muqam was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Efforts to safeguard it include the establishment of the Muqam Heritage Center in 2007, ensuring its melodies, dances and stories continue to thrive.
