Baisha Fine Music

Passed down as the "Musical Legacy of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)," baisha fine music is one of ancient China's large-scale, classical orchestral music that contains choruses, clear storylines, and music movements. Baisha fine music consists of dance, songs, and instrumental music that have twenty-four tunes, locally known as qupai. Although archaic, simple, and elegant in style, modern baisha is exquisite, euphonious, and dynamic in character.

It is said that when Kublai Khan was on his expedition to Yunnan, he once received help from Mailiang, the leader of the Naxi people in Lijiang, a city in southern Yunnan Province where some of the Naxi lived. On his departure, Kublai Khan left to Mailiang half a band and a musical score as a gift. Therefore, baisha fine music is also called "honoraria on departure". 

 Dong Jing Music

This type of Daoist music is widely spread among the Naxi people. Since the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, it has been gradually introduced to Yunnan from Central China, and is deeply rooted in the cultural circles of the Naxi people. Over time, the Naxi have added their own styles and the skills used in playing their local folk songs when playing dong jing music, giving the music a Naxi musical tone.

After dong jing music was disseminated to Lijiang, for quite a long time, its enjoyment was confined to gentlemen, whom were the only ones allowed to participate in dong jing concerts. However, as the Naxi people are born with a musical nature, such a limiting shackle was eventually broken.

Today, folk musicians have already made dong jing music a part of the folk world. There are at least four full orchestras of elderly men in and around Lijiang, and within the county there are scores of folk bands playing the ancient music that has been blended with Naxi flavor.

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