Abstract

The Tu people of Northwestern China are a distinct indigenous group formed from descendants of the original Tuyuhun Kingdom with considerable cultural influence from Mongolian settlers, Tibetan invaders, and the dominant Han majority. This qualitative investigation of their musical culture shows how Tu music has retained linear characteristics of early folk songs, which have been combined with the musical concepts of surrounding ethnic groups. The research shows that the Tu people have absorbed cultural influences from surrounding ethnic groups that are similar to their own, and further reinforces the importance of ethnomusicology as a tool to chart the development of social groups.