Mongolian Humai

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Mongolian Humai

Applicant: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Project No.: 35

Project No.: Ⅱ - 4

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Type: new item

Applicant: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Protected by: Art Institute of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Art archives of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region)

Brief introduction of Mongolian Humai

Applicant: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Humai is a magic singing art created by Mongolian people: a singer sings two parts at the same time with his vocal organ. The basic structure of the relationship between the voice parts of Humai is the combination of a continuous bass and the melody flowing above it. It can also be divided into "overtone Humai", "tremor Humai", "compound Humai" and so on. Among the folk songs of all ethnic groups in China, it is unique.

Humai is mainly distributed in Xilinguole, Hulunbuir grassland and Hohhot in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This kind of singing can also be heard in the Mongolian inhabited areas in Altai mountain area of Xinjiang Autonomous Region and in the areas of Mongolia and Russia.

According to textual research, the history of Humai can be traced back to the Hun period, and it has been produced before and after the formation of Mongolian at the latest.

As a special form of folk singing, Humai is an outstanding creation of Mongolian. It conveys the Mongolian People's deep philosophical thinking and understanding of the natural universe and all things in the world, and expresses the Mongolian People's concept of pursuing harmonious survival and development and healthy and upward aesthetic taste.

Humai is one of the oldest Mongolian art forms. It retains more of the original singing elements. It is an echo from the deep national memory. It is closely related to Mongolian history and culture, and has important value for anthropology, ethnology and folklore research.

It is an important and urgent task to rescue and protect the magic singing art of "Humai" from extinction.