Authorities in China's Xinjiang region have classified dozens of Uyghur-language songs as "problematic," warning residents that listening to, downloading, or sharing them online could lead to imprisonment. This crackdown targets a vital part of Uyghur cultural heritage, including the soulful folk ballad "Besh pede," a song filled with emotion and history traditionally played at weddings and gatherings.
Official Warnings and Banned Expressions
According to a recording of a meeting held by police and local officials in Kashgar in October, obtained exclusively by The Associated Press, authorities issued stark warnings. They instructed attendees to avoid common Muslim greetings like "As-salamu alaykum" and replace the farewell phrase "Allahqa amanet" (May God keep you safe) with "May the Communist Party protect you." The recording was shared by the Norway-based nonprofit Uyghur Hjelp.
The policy has been corroborated by interviews with former Xinjiang residents, whose contacts have been detained for engaging with Uyghur music. In one verified case, a Uyghur music producer, Yashar Xiaohelaiti, 27, was sentenced in 2023 to three years in prison and fined 3,000 yuan ($420) for uploading 42 "problematic" songs to his NetEase Cloud Music account.
Seven Categories of 'Problematic' Songs
During the Kashgar meeting, officials outlined seven categories of banned music. These range from traditional folk songs like "Besh pede"—flagged for its religious references within romantic themes—to newer tunes from the Uyghur diaspora. Songs deemed to "incite terrorism, extremism and smear the Chinese Communist Party's rule" are also prohibited.
This includes "Yanarim Yoq," based on a poem by imprisoned Uyghur poet Abduqadir Jalalidin, and "Atilar" (Forefathers) by famed musician Abdurehim Heyit, who is detained. Rachel Harris, a professor of ethnomusicology at SOAS University of London, noted that targeting such expressions is a cornerstone of China's policy, suspicious of any community organizing around religion.
A Pattern of Cultural Repression
This music ban signals the continuation of repressive policies in Xinjiang, despite Beijing's claims of normalcy. After international backlash over mass internment camps, China now promotes Xinjiang as a tourist destination. However, experts like Rian Thum of the University of Manchester see the song list as evidence of a more subtle, ongoing repression.
Other controls include expanded Mandarin-only boarding schools separating children from families and random phone checks for sensitive material. Between 2017 and 2019, rights groups allege at least 1 million Uyghurs and other minorities were extrajudicially detained. In 2022, the UN accused China of rights violations in Xinjiang that may amount to crimes against humanity.
The Chinese government defends its policies as necessary to root out terrorism and religious extremism. The Foreign Ministry stated it cracks down on violent terrorist crimes "in accordance with the law" and accused "anti-China forces" of maliciously hyping Xinjiang issues.
For the Uyghur diaspora, like singer and activist Rahima Mahmut in London, this cultural erasure is profound. "Music became part of my upbringing, and removing that is like removing the soul," she said. The ban ensures that even a generations-old love song now carries the heavy risk of state punishment.
