Twelve Muqam

Twelve Muqam Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

"Muqam" is a kind of Islamic music that is distributed in 19 nations and regions of Middle Asia, South Asia, West Asia and North Africa. "Muqam Art of Uygur Minority of Xinjiang in China" is the umbrella name of all the Muqam that is popular in the Uygur residence area in Xinjiang. It is represented by "Twelve Muqam", including twelve classical pieces of music such as Lake, Qiebiyate, Muxiawulaike, Qiaerga, Panjiga, Wuzihale, Aiqie, Wuxiake, Bayati, Nawa, Siga, Yilake.

History

Known as the "mother of Uygur music," the Twelve Muqam has a long history. Some scholars believe its origin can be traced back to the "Great Western Region Melody" that flourished during the Han (206BC-220AD) and Tang (618-907) dynasties and enjoyed a high popularity in Central China.

In the mid-16th century, aided by other musicians, the imperial concubine Amannisahan of the Yarkant Kingdom, who was also an esteemed poetess and musician, devoted all her efforts to collecting and compiling Muqam music, which was then scattered across Uygur-populated areas. She finally worked out 12 grand, yet light and entertaining compositions that are now known as the Twelve Muqam.

Structure of Twelve Muqam

The Twelve Muqam each consist of suites of fixed melodic sequences and order. To sing a complete Muqam takes around two hours. Each of the Twelve Muqam is structured as follows:

• Introduction -- sung solo in free meter. Themes dwell on human suffering and religious feeling. The lyrics are attributed the great Central Asian poets.

• Great music -- a suite of named pieces in varying set rhythms. Each sung piece is followed by an instrumental ornamented version, m?rghul. The chong n?ghm? is the longest and most complex section of the Muqam. Of the Muqam performed today only about half possess the full complement of eight pieces in the chong n?ghm? and work is ongoing to restore, or more often re-create, the missing pieces.

• Narrative songs -- each Muqam contains several dastan in different rhythms. Again each dastan is followed by an instrumental m?rghul. The lyrics are drawn from sections of folk narrative songs and relate the stories of famous lovers. The melodic range of the dastan is particularly wide.

• Gathering -- several faster sung pieces in 2/4 or sometimes 7/8 rhythms, consisting of folk love poetry. This section of the Muqam is for dancing. Usually the lyrics of the first m?shr?p are attributed to a famous poet.

Content

The Twelve Muqam are large-scale pieces consisting of sung poetry, stories, dance tunes, and instrumental sections. Some of the lyrics of the Muqam are drawn from the great Central Asian Chagatay poets. Others are drawn from folk poetry and love stories.

Ganre

The music of other ethnic groups is no match for the gigantic and neatly arranged system of the Twelve Muqam. Contemporary scholars refer to four distinct regional genres: the Twelve Muqam of the Kashgar-Yarkand region, the Turpan Muqam, the Qumul Muqam, and the Dolan Muqam.

Parts

Strictly following the astronomical almanac, each of the Twelve Muqam is divided into three parts: Cong Naghma, Dastan, and Mashrap, each with 25-30 sub-melodies. The whole set of the Twelve Muqam consists of 360 different melodies and takes over 24 hours to play in full.

Performers

The Muqam are usually performed by a small ensemble of singers, led by the lead singer (the Muqamchi), accompanied by plucked or bowed lutes and a dap frame drum; they may also be played in instrumental form by kettle drum and shawm bands. Playing the Muqam is not reserved to an exclusive group of professional musicians; historically it was performed in folk contexts as well as in the courts of local kings.

Men and women, beggars and respected religious men may practice this tradition, and the Muqam are often referred to in terms of a spiritual, even physical need. Listening to the Muqam can still serve a religious and meditative function, especially in the context of Xinjiang's great religious festivals.

What's Special

While Muqam is a musical form that has spread in Islamic areas throughout the world, the Twelve Muqam carries distinct Uygur characteristics. What is significant about its compilation is that Amannisahan did not borrow material from the wealthy and fully developed Arabian and Persian repertoires. Instead, she exploited the rich resources of Uygur folk music spread out in the wide area in the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. As a result, the Twelve Muqam is especially distinct due to its strong Uygur flavor.

Since its spread among the Uygurs, the Twelve Muqam has played an inseparable role in the people's lives. They dance to the accompaniment of Twelve Muqam and sing songs and ballads to its melodies.

Twelve Muqam Highlights

Twelve Muqam Highlights Related

Daolang Muqam and Maixirepu Dance attraction highlights

Mostly distributed in the Dolang region northwest of the Tarim Basin, Daolang Mukam is a popular kind of dancing in Xinjiang. No limits on the time, place, and number of players - Maixirepu is sure a "joyful entertainment" as what its name means.

• Kuqa

Uygur Ethnic Group attraction highlights

Xinjiang province, a place of large desert, tasty fruit and friendly people, is where almost all the Uygurs are found. It occupies much of the sparsely-populated Northwest.

• Urumqi
• Turpan
• Kashgar
• Korla
• Kuqa
• Burqin
• Yarkent
• Hotan
• Fuyun

Twelve Muqam FAQ & Travelers's Tips

1. What are some original forms of art that are unique to China?
2. China has its own operas? What are they?
3. Why are there so many Dragons on Chinese arts?
4. What's the popular arts among Chinese people?
5. Where are the best places to go to experience authentic Chinese art?
6. What's Chinese art usually about?
7. Why so much make-up on Chinese performers' faces?
8. What is the best form that can express Chinese arts?
9. What should I notice when I go to appreciate Chinese arts?
10. Where can I buy souvenirs about Chinese arts?

1. What are some original forms of art that are unique to China?

   China is a country with a long long history. During its development, all kinds of arts were created by the diligent Chinese people. Although nowadays, there are other countries that try to imitate Chinese art, the roots are still in China, and the best Chinese art works in the world can only be found in China.

   • Papercut Technique and form of cutting and pricking pictures and designs in paper by hand. The tools employed in papercutting were simply a pair of sharp scissors, razor-edged, quill-shaped knives or penknives with a hone and oil for sharpening, and good-quality paper. For pin-pricking, steel needles of different sizes were fixed to short wooden handles or mounted on a roulette wheel. The paper was worked from the back as well as the front for various effects. Handcut and pricked papers were largely outmoded by machine production in the mid-19th century.

   • Chinese Opera Chinese Opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China. There are numerous regional branches of opera with its original root starting in the dynastic periods. The Beijing opera is one of the most famous Chinese Opera. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, Canjun opera was one of the first form of opera available. Though in general, the more organized form of Chinese opera began in the Tang Dynasty with Emperor Xuanzong (712C755), who founded the "Pear Garden", the first known opera troupe in China. The troupe mostly performed for the emperors' personal pleasure. To this day operatic professionals are still referred to as "Disciples of the Pear Garden". In the Yuan Dynasty (1279C1368), forms like the Zaju, which acts based on rhyming schemes plus the innovation of having specialized roles like "Dan", "Sheng", "Hua" and "Chou" were introduced into the opera. Although actors in theatrical performances of the Song Dynasty (960C1279) strictly adhered to speaking in Classical Chinese onstage, it was during the Yuan Dynasty that actors speaking in the vernacular tongue gained precedent on stage.

     The dominant form of the Ming and early Qing dynasties was Kunqu, which came from the Wu cultural area. It later evolved into a longer form of play called chuanqi, which became one of the 5 melody that made up Sichuan opera. Chinese operas continue to exist in 368 different forms now, the best known of which is Beijing opera, which assumed its present form in the mid-19th century and was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty (1644C1911).

   • Chinese Painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Earliest paintings were ornamental, not representational; they consisted of pattern or designs, not pictures. Stone Age pottery was painted with spiral, zigzags, dots, or animals. It was only during the Warring States Period (403-221 B.C.) that artists began to represent the world around them.

     Painting in the traditional style is today known in Chinese as guo hua meaning 'national' or 'native painting', in opposition to Western styles of art which became popular in China in the 20th century. Traditional painting involves essentially the same techniques as calligraphy and is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made of paper and silk. The finished work is then mounted on scrolls, which can be hung or rolled up. Traditional painting also is done in albums and on walls, lacquerwork, and other media.

     Chinese Variety Art It is the name giving to the collection of performances that include a wide range of acrobatic, balancing acts and other spectacles performed by a troupe fashioned in traditional Chinese-style attire. The art originated in China and is still performed today.




2. China has its own operas? What are they?

   There are about 30 kinds of Chinese operas: 4 in the North, 13 in the South and another 13 that belongs to other areas here and there. The most famous operas in China are Beijing opera, Qinqiang opera, Kunqu opera, Pingju opera, etc.




3. Why are there so many Dragons on Chinese arts?

   Dragons are commonly symbols of good luck/health in some parts of Asia, and are also sometimes worshipped. Asian dragons are considered as mythical rulers of weather, specifically rain and water, and are usually depicted as the guardians of flaming pearls.

   In China, as well as in Japan and Korea, the Azure Dragon is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellation, representing spring (season), the element of Wood and the east. A Yellow dragon with five claws on each foot, on the other hand, symbolize imperial authority in China, and indirectly the Chinese people as well. Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity.




4. What's the popular arts among Chinese people?

   Due to the long history, some Chinese arts were descended yet some didn't get the chance to live long. Ancient Chinese arts that are still popular today, we'd say, it's the papercut and Chinese opera.

   Papercut is playing an important part in festivals, especially the Spring festival. People use papercuts as decorations in the room in order to add more festival atmosphere to the house. Papercut is also collected by many Chinese pepercut lovers who would spend a good among of money on those papercuts. The patterns that are usually used in papercut are now used in many place: patterns on appliance, patterns on buildings, etc.

   During Spring festival, there is always an evening show that's only about Chinese opera, indicating the importance of Chinese opera today. There are schools that teach kid to learn how to perform Chinese opera, and some people live their live on performing Chinese operas.




5. Where are the best places to go to experience authentic Chinese art?

   Chinese art actually has been soaked into people's common lives. All kinds of forms of art can be seen along the streets, on the bus, in the subway, anytime, anywhere. But there are indeed some best places for you to appreciate the best Chinese art.

   • The Gallery of China The Gallery of China started in the 1970's it wasn't until 1996 that the gallery proper was formed. It's located in the city center area. It has many functions such as exhibition, collection, research, public education and international communication. From time to time, interesting art exhibition takes place in the Gallery of China. Just a few months ago, the Dunhuang art show was held inside the gallery. Thousands of visitors came to see the exhibition. All kinds of Dunhuang wall paintings brought visitors to the real Dunhuang
   
   
   • National Theater for the Performing Arts The National Centre for the Performing Arts is a dynamic new icon to the arts in the heart of old Beijing. The Centre's ultra-modern architecture is in sharp contrast to its neighbours, the Great Hall of the People, Tian'anmen Square and the ancient Forbidden City.The National Centre for the Performing Arts is far more than a spectacular and futuristic building.




6. What's Chinese art usually about?

   Chinese arts usually all have auspicious meanings. Take papercut for example, papercuts usually are vivid pictures of Chinese phrases with good and optimistic meaning. That's why people like to put up papercuts on the windows or walls to bring auspicious atmosphere to the house.

   Chinese arts are usually about common people's life. A very precious piece of art might be just about an old man in the street where nobody known about him, or about a general life style that everyone shares.




7. Why so much make-up on Chinese performers' faces?

   As you have noticed, there is much make up on performers' faces when they are performing Chinese operas. Why? That's because the themes of the shows they play are usually about ancient Chinese stories. And different colors of make-up symbolize different historical characters. For example, Caocao, one of the central figures during the Three Kingdoms Period, was a cunning character, so the role of him needs white facial make-up to express the duplicity of him. Guanyu, was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was a nice person and made a lot of contribution to him country, therefore, the role of Guanyu needs the color red to show his courage, strength and loyalty.




8. What is the best form that can express Chinese arts?

   All kinds of forms express Chinese arts well. Yet, there is a unique form of Chinese arts that no other country has, which is Chinese Calligraphy. For thousands of years of development, Chinese calligraphy has now many forms. Some look decent with delicate handwriting, while some look messy but express the open character of the writers. Brush pen, the unique tool for Chinese traditional writings, also has various kinds. Some are thin while some are thick, which show different styles of calligraphy.




9. What should I notice when I go to appreciate Chinese arts?

   If you go to a gallery, please do not take photos of the art works. Flash lights is very bad for the preservation of the works. Sometimes, drinks are not allowed inside a gallery, so please make sure you have enough liquid in you before entering the gallery.

   If you go to see a show, please keep quiet during the show. Do not applaud until the end of performances. There are also some special requirements: for instance, if you want to see the Tang dynasty dance and music show, we suggest that you dress as you would for any formal occasion, like the Opera in Beijing, and the welcome and farewell dinners during the Yangtze Cruise. Jackets and ties for gentlemen and a formal dress or gown for ladies are recommended.




10. Where can I buy souvenirs about Chinese arts?

    If you want to buy some souvenirs for you friends, please tell your guides, they will do their best to fulfill your requirements. Your guides will introduce you some large painting shops with the high quality. You can have a pleasant and rewarding shopping experience.

    Also, there are usually souvenirs inside the gallery of theater where you can buy gifts for friends and family, but the price might be a little bit high.