Once considered on the brink of disappearance, the ancient art of Xinjiang Uygur Muqam is not only alive today but steadily gaining new vitality, evolving through modern innovation and finding audiences far beyond its homeland.

Among those keeping it vibrant is 41-year-old Alimjan Abliz, a ghijek (a round-bodied musical instrument with three or four metal strings and a short fretless neck) player with the Muqam Art Troupe of the Xinjiang Art Theater, who has been immersed in this tradition for 35 years. Despite decades of study and performance, his fascination remains undimmed. 

"Muqam is colorful, comprehensive, complicated, yet extremely captivating," he says. "Everything in this art — its tempo, melodies, singing — is very beautiful. I love it from the bottom of my heart."

Muqam is a sweeping artistic tradition that integrates singing, dancing and instrumental music. It is a general term for a variety of Muqam practices that have developed across Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. As an ancient musical tradition in the region, its origins go back more than a thousand years, with a complete track record of over 400 years, according to Wang Chenjun, deputy director of the Muqam Art Troupe.