Everyone is a Curator: Digitally Empowering Ethnic Minority Music Sustainability in China

Miao Song Collection around Kunming

The Miao people have undergone extensive migrations throughout history, forming distinct groups based on dialects—Xiangxi (湘西), Qiandong (黔东), and Sichuan-Guizhou-Yunnan (川黔滇)—across multiple Chinese provinces. These migrations have led to unique cultural traits within each group, as seen in their ancient songs, or “Miao Epics”. The efforts to systematically collect, organise, and study these Miao songs have been vigorously pursued. This includes initiatives to nominate them for national intangible cultural heritage status and the compilation of regional anthologies of Miao songs. Existing research on Miao songs primarily focuses on Miao-populated areas like Guizhou Province and West Hunan Province, often overlooking the Miao musical landscape in Yunnan.

In light of the limited collection and circulation of ancient Miao songs in the Kunming area, the ECura project team aims to systematically collect and study the region’s ancient Miao songs, a critical but under-researched aspect of local intangible cultural heritage. Based on initial investigations, the ECura project team plans to collect these songs in collaboration with local Miao communities around Kunming.

---

---

---

ECura’s Collaboration with Xiaohai Xin Village (小海新村)

---

ECura 项目团队首席研究员钱丽娟博士于2024年7月在云南进行了实地调研。调研期间，她拜访了苗族社区负责人张洪明，并问询了苗族社区的关于传统音乐保护方面的发展需求。在会谈中，张洪明表达了他希望在 ECura 的学术指导下，学习使用 MIDI 软件为多乐器编曲的愿望。此外，他还对学习钢琴调音表现出了兴趣，以确保村民们的乐器在音乐活动中得到良好的维护。此外，张洪明还强调了苗族社区丰富的史诗故事，这些故事有待进一步发掘。钱丽娟同意为这些计划做准备并将提供技术支持。

---

2024年9月23日，ECura项目研究助理杨雅伦前往昆明市寻甸县，与苗族小海新村的社区领袖张洪明会面，重点解决了项目支付和音乐制作支持方面的问题。杨雅伦首先协助洪明开通了网上银行，以解决与爱尔兰科克大学（UCC）劳务费支付相关的问题，使张洪明能够在线高效管理项目资金，简化财务流程。另外，为支持张洪明的音乐制作需求，杨雅伦推荐并安装了免费的制谱软件EOP NMN Master，并提供了现场培训。鉴于洪明对编曲的兴趣，她还演示了如何使用GarageBand进行音轨设计和乐器分层。杨雅伦也将继续寻找适用于Windows系统的替代方案，以更好地支持洪明的音乐创作。张洪明与ECura项目的合作对苗族社区的文化传承和音乐发展提供了极大的支持。

---

Music Analysis of Song of Creating All Things 创造天地万物歌

Melodic features

The melodic shows one of the characters of Miao songs, which the melodies always vary from one certain type of melodic features, so each phrase ended perfectly, and could be sing along separately. In this song, I analyzed three basic melody types which most represented for short sentence, middle sentence and long sentence, which are also the first three phrase of this song.

All three melodic types of the ancient Miao songs all revolve around a core set of four pitches: D, E, G, and B. A characteristic feature is the frequent occurrence of an octave leap from D at the beginning of a phrase. Following this opening gesture, which I have marked in red (See Ex 1.), the melody gradually returns to D, either by stepwise or descending leap. Within this process, B and G usually function as passing tones in the downward motion from D, appearing primarily in the context of descending leaps. The D–B–G motion forms a recurrent descending framework that ultimately resolves back to D. The pitch E may or may not be involved in this descent, when included, it generates a stepwise figure of D–B–G–E–D, and when omitted, the descent retains the more concise structure of D–B–G–D.

Ex. 1 Octave leaps in the song

Rhythm

In performance practice, the rhythm is flexible, following the natural flow of the text rather than strict metrical rules. Such free rhythm presents challenges for transcription. In standard Western notation, musicians or scholars often fails to capture the fluid tempo of oral singing, and have to reliance on audio recordings for accuracy.

In my transcription, I use shifting meters such as 5/4, 4/4, and 6/4. These time signatures do not suggest that the song strictly follows such patterns, but rather function as a compromise between the regulation of Western notation and the flexible rhythm of live performance. By adopting changing meters, the notation seeks to approximate the song’s natural flow, at the same time, retaining readability for performers and researchers.

In this song, a clear rhythmic distinction shows between the main body of the phrase and its vocables. The body part of each phrase, including their initial vocables, maintain a stable rhythm, most often articulated through quarter notes and sixteenth notes. By contrast, phrase endings feature the improvised repetition of “Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah”, sung with descending slides, which introduces a freer rhythmic quality. Each phrase is relatively independent, often separated by short pauses. In longer phrases, singers may also insert a breath at the midpoint, represented the flexible, orally grounded organization of rhythm in this tradition.

Vocal Style and Ornamentation

At the beginning of each phrase, singers typically introduce a vocable such as “Oh yeah yeah”, which functions as a vocal marker represent the start of the phrase. At the end of each phrase, the same vocable is often sung again, this time with a descending slide as “Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah” (See Ex.2). The number of repetitions at the end is not fixed but rather carries an improvisatory quality, depending on the individual singer’s preference. This technique of framing phrases with matching vocables at both the opening and the closing creates a sense of relative independence for each phrase, while also giving the performance a distinctive stylistic identity. In addition, when executing the octave descent, singers frequently using a descending sliding technique before the lower note of the octave, further enriching the expressive character of the melody.

Ex.2 Phrase structure of the song

Conclusion

The Song of Creating All Things reveals the essential qualities of Miao ancient songs, which is a free rhythmic structure shaped by the flow of the lyrics, a melodic framework centered on D with recurring octave leaps and descending gestures, and the pervasive use of vocables at phrase openings and endings. Rather than adhering to strict metric regularity, the song’s rhythm is guided by the delivery of words and the expressive choices of the singer. This relationship between text and melody, reinforced by improvisatory ornaments, highlights the oral and performative nature of the tradition. In this way, the song exemplifies how Miao ancient songs situate musical expression within the primacy of language and storytelling, allowing rhythm and melody to serve the unfolding of the text.

Credit: Lijuan Qian (13 October 2025).

Miao New Year Celebration Song Recorded in Zhaotong, Yunnan

From Sound to Score: The ECura Project’s Collaboration with Miao musician Zhang Hongming

The ECura Project’s research assistant, Yalun Yang, collaborated with Miao musician Zhang Hongming to transcribe his original compositions into staff notation. Below is a list of his 19 original musical works:

1	迎宾曲 “Welcoming Song”
2	喜迎花山节 “Joyous Celebration of the Flower Mountain Festival”
3	留恋 “Nostalgia”
4	相聚是缘 “Meeting Is Fate”
5	迎新郎新娘歌 “Song for Welcoming the Bride and Groom”
6	阿哥阿妹 “Brother and Sister-Young Lovers”
7	好歌献给新郎新娘 “A Beautiful Song for the Bride and Groom”
8	草子地欢迎你 “Caozidi Welcomes You”
9	朋友分别歌 “Song of Farewell Between Friends”
10	寻甸欢迎你 “Xundian Welcomes You”
11	挽留歌 “Song of Persuasion to Stay”
12	一天不见隔三秋 “A Day Apart Feels Like Three Autumns”
13	情歌对唱 “Love Song Duet”
14	思念 “Missing You”
15	北京我爱你 “Beijing, I Love You”
16	你是我心中的最爱 “You Are the Love of My Heart”
17	欢乐苗寨 “Joyful Miao Village”
18	感动感谢谢谢你 “Touched, Grateful, Thank You”
19	再见吧宝贝 “Goodbye, My Darling”

Transcription Examples:

Joyous Celebration of the Flower Mountain Festival 喜迎花山节

Brother and Sister-Young Lovers 阿哥阿妹

A Beautiful Song for the Bride and Groom 好歌献给新郎新娘

Joyful Miao Village 欢乐苗寨

ECura Project Team Meets Miao Community Collaborators in Xiaohai Xin Village

On 6 February 2026, Dr. Tingting Tang, Postdoctoral Researcher with the ECura project, and Yalun Yang, a PhD student in Ethnomusicology at University College Cork, held an informal meeting in Kunming, Yunnan Province, with Long Haiyan (龙海燕), a Miao community collaborator of the project.

During the meeting, Dr. Tang (who officially joined ECura in September 2025) introduced herself, the main project team members, and recent project priorities. Long Haiyan warmly reflected on her collaboration with ECura, particularly with the project’s Principal Investigator, Dr. Lijuan Qian. She expressed her gratitude and hoped for more opportunities under ECura’s support to carry out activities that benefit the cultural heritage of her community.

Dr. Tang subsequently invited Long Haiyan to join the project team’s fieldwork in Xiaohai Xin Village, assisting with interviews and mini‑program promotion over a three‑day period. Long Haiyan offered to coordinate with local folk artists and intangible cultural heritage bearers, while the project team took charge of scheduling and transportation. After four days of preparation, the three departed from Kunming on 11 February 2026, arrived in Xiaohai Xin Village, Xundian County, and successfully completed three days of highly productive fieldwork.

On 11 February 2026, the village head of Xiaohaixin Village and Miao community collaborator and musician Zhang Hongming (张洪明) guided the project team through the village committee office, the intangible cultural heritage exhibition room, and provided a detailed introduction to the village’s relocation history, cultural activities, and the transmission of local folk traditions.

On 12 February 2026, facilitated by Long Haiyan, the project team visited the studio of Zhang Haiyan (张海燕), a county‑level bearer of Miao batik techniques. Zhang Haiyan is a folk artist who adheres to traditional handmade batik methods while embracing innovation. Her works are highly creative and practical in pattern, color, form, and product variety. For example, she has introduced intricate rose patterns alongside traditional Miao floral and cross motifs, and has experimented with red and black dyes in addition to the traditional indigo blue. However, she insists on using traditional beeswax rather than industrial wax. As she explained, “Industrial wax affects the dyeing result because it melts and falls off too easily; traditional beeswax, though scarce and more expensive, is the only way I can achieve the fine details I want.” In June 2025, Zhang Haiyan was awarded the honorary title of “County-Level Rural Artisan” of Xundian County. She takes great pride in her responsibility to demonstrate and pass on the art of batik to the public and to the younger generation. At the end of the interview, she expressed her gratitude to the ECura team and her hope to participate in international cultural exchange activities in the future.

On 12–13 February 2026, Miao community collaborator and musician Zhang Hongming held informal discussions with the project team. He introduced the major cultural activities he had organized and participated in over the past year, including performances at the Huashan Festival (花山节), a traditional Miao festival celebrated locally and in surrounding villages. In addition, Yalun Yang, who has long supported Zhang Hongming in learning music notation software, provided in‑person guidance and collaborated with him on a line‑by‑line pronunciation check of the Miao lyrics in his original compositions. Zhang Hongming also explained his creative process and recorded demonstration vocals for several of his original works with the project team.

Text by Tingting Tang

ECura Project Team Promotes the ECurator Mobile Mini‑Program in Miao Communities

From 11 to 13 February 2026, the ECura project team, together with Miao community collaborator Ms. Long Haiyan, conducted a three‑day visit to Xiaohai Xin Village in Xundian County, Kunming, Yunnan Province.

The fieldwork had three main objectives: first, to follow up on the progress of community‑led ethnic music and cultural activities in Xiaohai Xin Village; second, to meet with project collaborator and Miao musician Zhang Hongming, supporting him in learning music composition software and helping to transcribe his original compositions into staff notation and numbered musical notation; and third, to promote the project team’s newly launched mobile application, ECurator, within the local Miao community.

The ECurator app is now available for download on the App Store, Google Play, and as a WeChat mini‑program.

The project team—comprising Ms. Long Haiyan (Miao community collaborator), Yalun Yang (PhD student in Ethnomusicology at University College Cork), and Dr. Tingting Tang (Postdoctoral Researcher)—introduced ECurator and its Miao language corpus to the villagers in both Mandarin and the Miao language. They guided interested villagers through the process of downloading and using the app (Figure 1). After trying the app, Miao musician Zhang Hongming eagerly recommended it to his wife and taught her how to use it (Figure 2). During the experience, Zhang Haiyan—a guardian of Miao batik intangible cultural heritage—listened to the traditional music of her people and said with deep emotion: “This is what the real ancient song sounds like” (see Video 1).

Beyond Xiaohai Xin Village, Ms. Long Haiyan also promoted the app in other Miao communities and collected user feedback (Figures 3 and 4). Overall, most local users showed strong interest in both the mobile app and the WeChat mini‑program and were eager to give them a try.

Text by Tingting Tang | 27 April 2026

ECura项目组在苗族社区推广ECurator移动小程序

2026年2月11日至13日，ECura项目组与苗族社区合作者龙海燕女士一同前往云南省昆明市寻甸县小海新村，开展了为期三天的深度探访。

本次田野调查的主要目的有三：一是跟进小海新村村民自主开展民族音乐文化活动的进展；二是访问项目合作者、苗族音乐家张洪明，支持他学习使用音乐软件进行创作，并帮助将其原创音乐作品的手稿转化为五线谱与简谱；三是在当地苗族社区中推广项目团队刚刚推出的移动应用程序“ECurator”。

目前，ECura项目研发的移动应用程序已可直接在App Store, Google Play和微信小程序中下载使用。

项目组一行三人——苗族项目合作者龙海燕女士、科克大学民族音乐学博士研究生杨雅伦，以及项目博士后研究员唐婷婷博士——分别用普通话和苗语向小海新村的村民介绍了ECurator及其中的苗族语料库数据资源，并逐一指导愿意体验的苗族村民下载和使用该应用程序（图一）。苗族音乐家张洪明在体验后，迫不及待地将应用推荐给自己的妻子，并教她如何使用（图二）。苗族蜡染非遗传承人张海燕在体验时听到本民族的传统音乐时感慨地说：“这就是真正的古歌了”（见视频一）。 除了小海新村，龙海燕女士还在其他苗族村落进行了推广，并收集了苗族用户的使用反馈（图三、图四）。总体而言，大多数当地用户对手机应用和微信小程序表现出浓厚兴趣，并乐于尝试使用。

图一：张杰（张杰，生于2008年），来自小海新村的一位年轻参与者，评价道：“这非常新颖和有创意。我希望将来有机会学习苗语和苗族音乐。”（摄影：龙海燕，2026年2月12日）

图二： 张洪明教妻子张志美使用ECurator微信小程序。（拍摄：唐婷婷，2026年2月12日）

图三：张珍新（张珍新，生于1968年），来自小水井村的一位社区长者，分享道：“手机小程序让传统知识的传播变得非常方便。”（图片由龙海燕提供，2026年2月22日）

图四：王梦琪（王梦琪，生于2000年），来自小水井村的一位年轻学习者，评价道：“手机应用程序和小程序让像我这样的年轻人可以随时随地学习，非常方便。”（图片由龙海燕提供，2026年2月22日）

视频一：科克大学民族音乐学博士研究生杨雅伦向苗族蜡染技艺非遗传承人张海燕介绍如何使用ECurator手机应用程序。（视频拍摄：唐婷婷，2026年2月12日）

文：唐婷婷 2026年4月27日