The Yu mode of the Yi people refers to the mode with Shang as the main tone.

The Yu mode is a national mode with Shang as the main tone. The pentatonic feather mode is composed of two C-type three-note series. The pentatonic feather mode has obvious minor mode characteristics. The minor third of Yu-Gong and the minor seventh interval of Yu-Zheng fully demonstrate its minor mode. Nature, belongs to the mode of minor color.

Among the pentatonic modes, the feather mode is the most complete mode - the tonic and the upper third form a minor third, and the dominant and subordinate tones each play a supporting role. Therefore, only in terms of function Said feather mode is closer to the Western minor mode than other pentatonic modes.

Characteristics of Yi music:

The Yi music style is simple, the expression forms are diverse, and it has many national customs and characteristic national instruments. Combining these forms and musical instruments and integrating the basic concepts of Yi culture can make the entire Yi culture full of unique charm. Yi people cannot live without music. They like to use music to express the most common things and events in life.

Music is a very important part of the life of the Yi people, and there is a lot of grand music in some special local festivals. In addition, the Yi people also have many distinctive musical instruments, such as mabu, which is made of ox horn and is most common during the Harvest Festival and Torch Festival.

There is also the Yueqin, which is an instrument used by many Yi men when dancing. They use this way of playing to convey their feelings to the women they like.