Mongolian Haolaibao

Haolaibao, also called haolibao, is a singing and storytelling form of quyi popular with the Mongolian nationality, and dates back to the 12th century. One or more singers, who accompany themselves on the sihu (a four-stringed musical instrument), perform haolaibao.

The Mongolian term haolaibao means to sing continuously or to sing a series of stories without a break. There are four sentences to a paragraph or section in the story. The rhyme is on the first word in every two or four sentences. The stories can be long or short and may be extemporaneous. The contents may involve an episode, plot, or expression of emotions. A Mongolian artist sings the praises of a hero or makes derogatory remarks about something. He sings satire and exposes faults and injustices in a humorous way. These artists are adept at making comparisons, exaggerations, parallels, and repetitions, using a rapid rhythm.

Since the start of the 20th century, haolaibao has taken on diversified forms. A simple form is the yabugan, in which the singer makes musical sounds with the voice, and then produces words to match a tune. The second form consists of singing accompanied by a musical instrument. This is divided into Huren haolaibao (accompanied by the huqin) and Nairile haolaibao (accompanied by more than one musical instruments). The yabugan is divided into solo and duet, and further into narration, satire, and singing praises. Haolaibao has various subject matters such as folk tales and traditional novels besides stories to express nostalgia, love, social changes, and knowledge.