Bai zu diao (白族调) is a genre of traditional accompanied narrative singing of the Bai people (Chinese: Bai zu, 白族) of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture (大理白族自治州), northwestern Yunnan province, southwest China. It is presumed that the singers are singing in the Bai language. The story being performed is entitled “Bai Xiang Qixin Zhan Yiqing”《白乡齐心战疫情》(Bai Townships Unite to Battle the Epidemic), the lyrics for which were written by Duan Huisheng (段辉生) and Yang Songhe (羊松鹤). The performers are Shi Yongmei (施永妹, voice) and Jiang Zhongde (姜中德, voice and long tou sanxian).
The sole accompanying instrument used in this performance is a locally made long tou sanxian (龙头三弦, 3-stringed long-necked fretless plucked lute with skin-covered soundbox) with hexagonal soundbox and carved dragon head. The soundbox of the long tou sanxian is traditionally covered on the top and bottom with multiple layers of tissue paper (Chinese: mian zhi, 棉纸), although sheepskin is sometimes also used.
In 2020 the tradition of Eryuan Xishan Bai zu diao (洱源西山白族调), centering on Xishan Township (西山乡), Eryuan County (洱源县), north-central Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, northwestern Yunnan province, which is located just to the south of Jianchuan County, was included in the Fifth Batch of the List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Dali Prefecture (大理州第五批州级非物质文化遗产代表性项目名单).