A Manhan folk song performance is staged on Sept 20. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

On Sept 20, a media delegation visited the Qi Fulin Manhan Folk Song Art Heritage Base in Juungar, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to experience the city's distinctive folk culture and explore stories of ethnic unity and cultural exchange through Manhan folk songs.

The delegation interviewed Qi Fulin, a national-level representative inheritor of Manhan folk songs. Born in Juungar in 1953, Qi is known for his powerful, clear voice and distinctive local singing style. Over the years, he has helped bring Manhan folk songs to wider audiences while giving the traditional art new forms of expression. The heritage base showcases his career and the development of Manhan folk songs through exhibitions, videos, and traditional performances.

The delegation also visited the Manhan Folk Song Tongxin Theater, where performances are held twice a week. Traditional tunes and folk plays are combined with contemporary themes, bringing the folk art into community life.

In Juungar, Manhan folk songs have become a cultural bridge between communities. Local artists and cultural volunteers regularly perform at markets, on streets, and in cultural squares, using familiar folk melodies to tell stories of shared life, cultural exchange, and solidarity among different ethnic groups.

A Manhan folk song performance brings the folk arts to audiences. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]