Centuries-old Muqam art finds new vigor in Xinjiang’s Shache county

"I grew up listening to it from my parents. And I started to learn from my father in the 1970s," said Yusup Tonhti, a 75-year-old national inheritor. "While musical fads ebb and flow, the timeless classics of Muqam endure."

"The Muqam scores are intricate, posing great challenges for self-taught folk artists," he said, adding that the center became a big school and stage, filled daily with songs and dances.

In recent years, the county has bolstered heritage preservation through annual training, monthly living allowances for practitioners, and daily performances to pass the traditions across generations.

To ensure a sustainable lineage, the county has intensified efforts to cultivate Muqam talents, frequently hosting art festivals and singing competitions that elevate the art form's popularity.

The booming tourism sector has infused new opportunities and vitality into ancient Shache's Muqam traditions. As the county drives high-quality tourism growth, it prioritizes safeguarding this intangible heritage to revitalize the time-honored 12 Muqams.

Since the center's founding, Muqam enthusiasts have flocked here to exchange skills while audiences come to enjoy the reverberating melodies. "Our center sometimes hosts multiple shows daily," Yusup said.

"Witnessing the lively atmosphere of the Muqam performances, I couldn't help but join in the dancing, infected by their passion and energy," said a tourist from Guangzhou surnamed Wei.

"I felt that Xinjiang's ethnic diversity and integration have a profound history after visiting the Yarkand relics. It's gratifying to see these traditions being inherited and carried forward in our nation today," she added.