Explore Xiamen, host city of 9th BRICS Summit

Ancient Chinese folk music Nanyin

Nanyin music actor and actresses perform at Zhongshan Park in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, on Aug 5, 2017. [Photo by Zhang Dan/Xinhuanet]

Nanyin, literally means music in the south, is an ancient Chinese folk music art form originated from East China's Fujian Province.

Nanyin was spread to Southeast Asia and also introduced to Europe and America by thousands of overseas Chinese, when the Maritime Silk Road flourished during ancient China's Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties.

In 2006, Nanyin was enlisted as a National Non-material Cultural Heritage. In 2009, it was listed as a World Human Verbal and Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.