Anchor: China's Mongolian ethnic group lives in the vast grasslands in northern China. The Mongolians are famous for three treasures, namely grasslands, horses, and the long tune. Today our reporter Liu Yan will introduce us to one of their treasures, the long tune.
Reporter: The long tune is a kind of folk song created by nomadic herdsmen. It is sung on the occasion of traditional festivals.
This is ten year old Mongolian boy Batu Tulaga singing a folk song of the long tune. Batu lives in the eastern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. He liked singing and started to learn local folk songs when he was very young. He says he likes the long tune most.
The themes embodied in long tune folk songs are closely associated with Mongolian social lives. It is a necessity for Mongolians on such occasions as festivals and celebrations, wedding ceremonies, family gatherings and "Nadam", the Mongolian carnival.
Mandu Fu with the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences explains.
"The long tune is representative of the nomadic culture of people living on the grasslands. From the aesthetic point of view, Mongolians believe that man and nature are integrated. The long tune is unique. It reflects harmony between man and nature."
Mandu Fu explains that the research into long tune folk songs involves multiple branches of music science, and long tune-related research and protection is the most powerful type of inheritance and protection of grassland civilization and culture.
Representative songs of the art form include Horse Racing, Yellow Pony, and Romance of the Grasslands.
The slow and relaxing long tune, with more sounds than words, inspires imagination through its decorative melody.
It's said that all the Mongolians are born singers. And the long tune is passed down from generation to generation.
68-year-old Ha Da has lived in the grasslands for generations. She has sung long tune folk songs for her entire life. She is glad that the younger generation still loves them but worries that with the change in lifestyle, traditions will gradually fade.
The local government has taken measures to protect the cultural heritage. In 2005, the long tune has been listed by the UNESCO as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Li Xun is a cultural official from the Xinlin Gol Prefecture in central Inner Mongolia.
"We sponsor national and prefecture level long tune singing contests every year. Singers from the whole prefecture and all parts of the country take part. Now we are trying to document the songs and the history related to long tune for better protection and conservation of the art form."
Xilin Gol prefecture is one area where the long tune originated. Long tune music awards are held there because every citizen from eight to 80 years old is said to be able to sing. More than 100 singers from all parts of the country including Beijing, northeast China and western China's Xinjiang came for the music awards. Of course, most singers are from the Mongolian ethnic group. Zhang Yi and Gu Li come back to their home town for the contest.
"I like long tune music very much. I sing it at home and on other occasions. The Mongolians are herdsmen. The best way to express themselves is the long tune."
He says that every time he sings the long tune, he feels calm and secure as if he has come back to the Mongolian grasslands.