Yushan Maihemuti

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Yushan Maihemuti, Male, Uyghur, from Shanshan, Xinjiang, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang (Ⅱ-70). The tradition is documented in Shanshan, Xinjiang. Within the regional tradition and school record of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Shanshan, 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 Yushan Maihemuti is anchored in the documented technical standards of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Shanshan, Xinjiang. Within the documented technical tradition of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Shanshan, 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 Turpan Muqam is an important component of Uyghur muqam art of Xinjiang, current mainly in Lukqin town of Shanshan county in the Turpan area and in the surrounding parts of Turpan city and Toksun county. The Turpan Muqam has eleven sections, among them the Rak Muqam and the Chebiyat Muqam, and a complete performance takes about ten hours. Each muqam suite consists of eight parts, among them the Muqaddim, the Chekte, the Baste Chekte, the Yarang Chekte, the Jula, the Sanam and the coda. Besides the accompanied form, there is also a form performed with drums and wind instruments. The artistic character of the Turpan Muqam, that there is no singing without drums and no music without dancing, is the musical legacy of ancient Gaochang and the Gaochang Uyghur Khaganate. As the crystallisation of cultural exchange between the music and dance of East and West, the Turpan Muqam records and corroborates the history of the mutual spread, collision and blending of different musical and dance cultures. In the Turpan Muqam one can see both elements of the music of the Central Plains of China and of the grasslands north of the desert, and the influence of the music of countries and regions of Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia and North Africa. Its distinctive musical rhythm, metre and system of pitch is an important foundation for the formation of the theoretical system of Uyghur music. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Rak Muqam": One of the eleven sections of the Turpan Muqam. "Chebiyat Muqam": One of the eleven sections of the Turpan Muqam. "Eight-section suite structure": Each muqam suite consists of eight parts, among them the Muqaddim, the Chekte, the Baste Chekte, the Yarang Chekte, the Jula, the Sanam and the coda; a complete performance takes about ten hours; besides the accompanied form there is also a form performed with drums and wind instruments.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Yushan Maihemuti was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang, with Shanshan, Xinjiang as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang in Shanshan, Xinjiang: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Shanshan, Xinjiang as its declared area, and Shanshan County Cultural 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. Yushanmaihemuti (Shanshan, Xinjiang) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Yushanmaihemuti · China ICH Official Archive