A Khoomei artist performs on stage at a 2024 Spring Festival celebration in Sydney.

Hoomei is a traditional throat-singing art created by the Mongolian ethnic group and is regarded as one of the oldest forms of this low rumbling vocal technique in the world. In 2006, Khoomei was included in China’s first national list of intangible cultural heritage items, followed in 2009 by its inclusion on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The origins of Khoomei can be traced back approximately 2,000 years to the time of the Xiongnu nomadic people. Today, it is widely sung among Mongolian communities in Xilingol League, Hulunbuir City, and Hohhot City in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as well as in the Altai Mountains in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Beyond China, Khoomei is also performed in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

It preserves many original, traditional, and authentic vocal techniques of the nomadic peoples. A single singer can produce two or even three distinct pitches simultaneously using only their vocal organs. With its wide range and unique harmonic melody, this art has been called “a one-man choir”.

Khoomei is believed to be a spiritual medium through which the nomadic people communicate with nature and the universe. Its vocal tone often mimics the sounds of flowing rivers, galloping animals, chirping insects, falling rain and snow, or rolling thunder. Such vivid imitation reflects a sincere dialogue with nature, expressing blessings for all living beings. It embodies the Mongolian people’s philosophical thoughts on life and the cosmos, as well as their longing for a better life through harmonious coexistence with nature.

To better preserve this millennia-old art, Inner Mongolia authorities have followed an approach that combines traditional master-apprentice oral transmission with formal academic instruction. In recent years, Khoomei has been included into the curriculum of several universities, establishing a systematic framework for teaching and research. Meanwhile, Khoomei artists actively engage in campus lectures, community workshops, and outreach programs in schools, promoting its popularity among young people.

Innovative performers are exploring crossovers between Khoomei and various modern genres such as pop, rock, and electronic music. Their creative efforts have brought new vitality to this ancient art form on concert stages, in film scores, and through people-to-people exchanges, making the magical voices of the grasslands echo across the world.