The Construction of Āmānnisā Khan as a Uyghur Musical Culture Hero

This paper explores the construction of Āmānnisā Khan (1526–1560) as a Uyghur culture hero through the creation and repetition of a narrative linking her to the Uyghur Twelve Muqams. The paper shows intertextual linkages between various forms in which Āmānnisā Khan is represented, including written histories, a stage play, a tomb, a film, a novel, and portraiture. The analysis reveals that it is the frequent recontextualization and repetition of “Āmānnisā Khan as collector and organizer,” which was first inserted into her life story in the 1980s, that has been the most significant element in developing her culture hero image.