Music

The Naxis take great pleasure in listening to their folk music, the Lijiang music. Whenever it is possible, they will always find time to enjoy it. Along with the Dongba character, Dongba scripture and the Dongba dance, Lijiang music is regarded as a "living fossil" in human cultural history. Chanting is the main form of performance of the music, which includes nearly thirty kinds of melodies, including the deep and low heaven worshiping tune with a strong rhythm, and the high pitched, dream like lyrical tune for wind worshiping. They give an expression to the Naxi people's longing for the heavenly bliss and freedom.

Instruments played in the performance of the music are manifold and full of local sounds. They are the bamboo flute, kouxian(a string played by the mouth), the yak-horn bugle, the white sea-shell trumpet, the spotted conch, the hand-drum, the swinging bell and mangluo(a gong). When played together, the instruments make a strongly appealing sound that could merge the audience whole-heartedly into the profound, enchanting realm of the ancient Naxi culture.