Hear the Heavenly Music of the Mongolian Grassland through its Horse-headed Fiddle

Known as “Khuur” in the Mongolian language, this music instrument got it name after the horse-head design at the top. The horse-headed fiddle was listed in 2006 as the one of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritages.

As a representative of the Mongolian music culture, its shape, the materials it is made of, its sound quality and timbre, its stylish expression and the way it is played… all reflect the characters of Mongolians, their nomadic life as well as their philosophy of nature and the universe.

When the horse-head fiddle is played, one can’t help but picture the vast grassland, the howling wind, the sound of galloping horse hooves and the joyful herding melodies. Over the course of history, as the sound of horse-head fiddle has passed down from generation to generation, the musical instrument has also evolved under the hands of performers and artists, who not only improved its stylish design, the way it’s performed and its making technique, but also made it known by people across the world.

Producer: Yang Gu

Chief Supervisor: Chen Jiandong, Song Leyong

Chief Planner: Che Jingwen, Jin Linghan

Script Writer: Yue Pei

Coordinator: Zhou Shuodi, Tao Yanyan, Yang Jingyi

Co-produced by: China Internet Development Foundation and GMW.cn