Quick Answer
Hoomii (呼麦, hūmài), also spelled Khoomei or Khöömei, is Mongolian overtone singing. One performer can sustain a low tone while making a higher part stand out. In China, the tradition is documented in Inner Mongolia and among Mongolian communities in parts of Xinjiang.[1][2][3]
- Sound: Listen for a higher melody or whistle-like tone above a continuous low sound.[1][4]
- Occasions: Chinese accounts describe festival gatherings, sporting events and ceremonies.[1][3]
- Recognition: China and Mongolia have separate UNESCO inscriptions describing traditions they nominated.[1][3][5][6]
The spelling on a recording can vary. The singer’s name, place and performance give better clues to its particular style.
A first-time listener may hear something like a low voice and a high whistle at once. In a solo example both can come from the same singer. Listening for those sounds separately makes it easier to follow what the performer is doing and distinguish the vocal art from other music presented at the same event.
What a Listener Can Hear
UNESCO’s account of the Chinese nomination describes a continuing low vocal part with higher sounds arranged into a harmony. Pick out the low note first. It can remain steady while a high sound changes pitch or emphasis. Replay the same passage while following the higher line. When the notes above the drone move, you can hear the contour they form.[1]
A study by Christopher Bergevin and colleagues examined singers from Tuva. Using sound analysis, imaging and models, the researchers found that the studied singers could shape the vocal tract to strengthen a narrow band of overtones above the low pitch. The result helps explain why the higher part sounds so distinct in the performances the researchers recorded. Their measurements concern those Tuvan singers.[4]
The broader horsehead fiddle tradition gives a useful contrast in sound production. A fiddle sounds its strings through a bow. In a solo hoomii recording the low part and the changing higher tone can both come from the singer.
Where Hoomii Is Documented in China
The national Chinese inventory names Xilingol and Hulunbuir as well as Hohhot in Inner Mongolia. It also mentions Mongolian communities in the Altai area of Xinjiang. These are documented places of practice, and the performer and location remain important when comparing recordings.[2]
The China heritage account associates hoomii with public gatherings and with occasions that can include horse racing, archery, wrestling and ancestor observances. A listener might encounter the singing beside a Mongolian bökh wrestling event or in a dedicated musical performance. The setting helps explain who is listening and what part the song plays in the gathering.[1][3]
Why UNESCO Has Two Entries
China’s national heritage record dates its listing to 2006. The Chinese nomination for “Mongolian art of singing, Khoomei” entered UNESCO’s Representative List in 2009. Mongolia’s separate nomination, “Mongolian traditional art of Khöömei,” entered in 2010. The titles are useful for finding the two records.[1][3][5][6]
The UNESCO documentation also points to a wider geography. The entry submitted by China mentions Inner Mongolia, western Mongolia and Tuva. The entry submitted by Mongolia focuses on the practice in its own national context. Read each listing for the communities and practices it documents. Its date records an administrative act of recognition.[1][5][6]
How the Art Is Passed On
The Chinese heritage dossier describes efforts to document performances and hold training and demonstration events. Recordings preserve details a written description can miss, such as the way a higher tone grows stronger while a low pitch stays in place. They also let listeners hear that performers can arrange or emphasize the sounds differently.[3]
Teaching and documentation meet different needs. An archived performance can preserve what a singer sounded like on one occasion. Working with an experienced practitioner can help a learner hear what changed across attempts. A recording labelled with the performer, location and date can also serve future researchers who want to compare a specific rendition with another one.[1][3]
FAQs About Mongolian Hoomii in China
Does the High Sound Come from a Second Singer?
A solo singer can produce both the low tone and the higher audible line. A recording may also include accompaniment or other musicians, so use its performance credits if you need to identify each sound.[1][4]
Are Hoomii and Khoomei Different Names?
Hoomii, Khoomei and Khöömei are spellings readers may encounter for Mongolian overtone-singing traditions. UNESCO uses Khoomei in the title of the China entry and Khöömei in the Mongolia entry. A spelling alone does not identify the style of a particular recording.[1][5][6]
出典
[1] UNESCO Multimedia Archives. Mongolian art of singing Khoomei in China
[2] China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network. National directory description of hoomii
[3] China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network. China’s Mongolian hoomii heritage dossier
[4] Christopher Bergevin and colleagues. Overtone focusing in biphonic Tuvan throat singing
[5] UNESCO Multimedia Archives. Mongolian traditional art of Khöömei
[6] UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Mongolia’s Khöömei inscription