Xinjiang in focus: The echoes of the grasslands

In the vast grasslands of northern Xinjiang, the Mongolian long song stretches across time like the wind – slow, soaring, and unbound by rhythm. It uses multiple sounds for one word and slow rhythms to create a sense of the vastness of the grasslands and the spiritual world of the grassland people. Tao Utunason, a master folk singer and culture bearer, began this ancient vocal tradition at the age of eight within a felt-lined yurt as he learned from his mother. Since then, decades later, he has taught over 300 students, passing down not just a song, but a legacy. He believes that as long as the long song lives on, so does the memory and spirit of his ancestors. Amid the noise of modern cities, he hopes that the next generation will still hear the call of hooves, the breath of the steppe, and the voice of home.