介绍:
There is a saying in Xinjiang that where there are Uygurs, there is Muqam.
Popular among Muslims who live in the region, the musical style is also well known in central and western Asia.
This so-called mother of Uygur music has a very long history.
Amanni Shahan was a concubine who lived in the Yarkand Khanate Khan of the Yerqiang kingdom during the mid-16th century. She was extraordinarily talented in the fields of literature and music, and caught the attention of the Khan, who had his own penchant for the arts.
She once even composed and played a Muqam piece during a hunting expedition. After she married the Khan, she launched a campaign to gather and sort through the segments of Muqam music that were dispersed throughout the kingdom.
She devoted her life to collecting and compiling these musical pieces. Her preservation efforts earned her the name, "Mother of the Twelve Muqam". She explored the rich musical resources of the Uygurs spread out over the Tianshan Mountain area and the region's folk balladeers; in search of the most distinctive pieces of the Uygur ethnic group.
Working alongside other musicians, Amanni Shahan ultimately selected twelve compositions emblematic of the Uygur character. Her selections have been passed on and are now regarded as the most valuable legacy of Uygur musical art.
Xinjiang Uygur Muqam encompasses singing, dancing, folk and classical music and is characterized by the diverse nature of its content and choreography and the range of musical styles and instruments used.
The songs vary in rhythm and meter and are performed by solo artists as well as groups. The lyrics not only contain folk ballads but also poems written by classical Uygur masters. They reflect a wide range of styles such as poetry, proverbs, and folk narratives, bearing witness to the history and contemporary life of Uygur society.
In Muqam ensembles, the lead instruments are made from local materials in various forms; and they may be string, plucked or wind instruments. The dances involve unique steps, rhythms and formations including the flower-picking-by-mouth and bowl-carrying-on-head moves, as well as imitations of animals in solo dances.
Uygur people are proud of their cultural resources and are devoted to preserving and passing on the ancient art forms represented by the Twelve Muqam. 70-year-old Abdusalati is one of the dedicated devotees. He teaches Muqam at a local tea house in Shache County.
"Muqam is my life. I can give up eating and drinking but I cannot live without performing my beloved Muqam. I teach people Muqam free of charge. It is my responsibility to do so. In support of my efforts to preserve the traditional art form, the central government provides me with 10 thousand yuan a year to teach it to young people. I also receive 5 thousand yuan towards my living expenses from the county government every year."
In a bid to revive the ancient art form, the central and regional governments have launched a series of projects over the past two decades. Ten training centers have been set up in Xinjiang to teach the art to younger followers, and Muqam-related research centers and museums have been built to support scholarships.
The governments have also financially supported senior Muqam artists and offered apprenticeships to promising musicians. At the national level, a project involving hundreds of Uygur folk artists has published a series of books, audio recordings and videos on the Twelve Muqam.
The first Muqam Art Troupe was established in 1989 at Shache County, the birthplace of Muqam. Ilham is responsible for first coming up with the idea of grouping Muqam artists together to perform on stage.
"We are the first art troupe to stage genuine Muqam performances in China. We have taken part in many big performing events in the country. This April we took part in a dance contest especially organized for intangible cultural heritage items at both national and international-level. It was a great honour for us to win first prize. "
In 2006, the government of the autonomous region invested nearly two million yuan to support the Xinjiang Muqam Art Troupe in creating a musical gala to showcase its folk culture-- Muqam Spring. An annual festival which has been held in Shache County since 2005, it now attracts Muqam artists and lovers from both home and abroad.
Muqam is now included as part of the curriculum in universities and colleges in Xinjiang and attracts interest from many young people, among them foreign students. Although it is not easy for them to understand the lyrics, this doesn't lessen their enthusiasm for this music and dance tradition.
In 2005, UNESCO proclaimed the Twelve Muqam a masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, drawing more attention to this art form from the wider world.
