Aimaitisupi

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Aimaitisupi, Male, Uyghur, from Hamidi, Xinjiang, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang (Ⅱ-70). The tradition is documented in Hamidi, Xinjiang. Within the regional tradition and school record of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Hamidi, Xinjiang: Uyghur muqam art of Xinjiang is a large comprehensive art form that combines singing, dancing and instrumental music; it is distributed mainly in the Uyghur settlements of southern, northern and eastern Xinjiang, and is also current in large, medium and small towns such as Urumqi. In the course of its development within its cultural space, Uyghur muqam art of Xinjiang formed the schools of the Twelve Muqam, the Turpan Muqam, the Hami Muqam and the Dolan Muqam, which are the most representative of them. Uyghur muqam art began in folk culture and developed in the courts and official residences of the oasis city-states; through integration and development it formed an artistic style that is diverse, comprehensive, complete, improvisatory and popular, and became a distinguished form of expression of the Uyghur people.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Aimaitisupi is anchored in the documented technical standards of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Hamidi, Xinjiang. Within the documented technical tradition of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Hamidi, Xinjiang: The sung texts of Uyghur muqam art of Xinjiang include the maxims of sages, the admonitions of prophets, village ditties, folk tales and the like, comprising both folk songs and the poetry of men of letters; they are a vivid expression of the mind of the Uyghur people. Uyghur muqam art is rich and varied in musical form, with many kinds of tonal system, elaborate modes, and accompanying instruments of many different metres, rhythms and combinations of formation; it displays a distinctive national character and a strong power of appeal. The Hami Muqam is a large suite of Uyghur music of long history, great length and complete structure, current in the Hami area of eastern Xinjiang. It comprises twelve suites, among them the Qongur Muqam and the Ulug Duttar Muqam; seven of them contain two movements (that is, two sets of pieces), the whole comprising 258 pieces and several thousand lines of lyrics. In the course of its formation and development, the Hami Muqam, on the basis of the “Yizhou music” of the Western Regions, absorbed to varying degrees the artistic nourishment of the music of the Central Plains, of Central Asia and of West Asia, and so shows the character of cultural diversity in its lyrics, style and structure. Each muqam suite is composed of a free-rhythm prelude song and a structural sequence of a number of songs in 4/4, 7/8 and 5/8 rhythm together with several song-and-dance pieces in 2/4 rhythm, exemplifying the typical quality of completeness. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Qongur Muqam": One of the twelve suites of the Hami Muqam. "Ulug Duttar Muqam": One of the twelve suites of the Hami Muqam, its name retaining the traditional Uyghur appellation. "Hayhay Yolam Muqam": One of the twelve suites of the Hami Muqam, distinctive among the muqams of the various parts of Xinjiang in the way it is named. "Janikem Muqam": One of the twelve suites of the Hami Muqam.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Aimaitisupi was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang, with Hamidi, Xinjiang as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Hamidi, Xinjiang: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Hamidi, Xinjiang as its declared area, and Hami Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Aimaitisupi (Hamidi, Xinjiang) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Aimaitisupi · China ICH Official Archive