MUZI MUZIChinese Matrix

Mongolian and Northern Peoples' Dance

Kerchiefs flung, feet stamping, dancing in the round

Introduction

The Mongolian andai and savardin, with Daur, Evenki, Xibe and other northern dances

This record covers the folk dances of the Mongol, Daur, Evenki, Oroqen, Xibe and other peoples of the north, marked by circle dances, imitations of birds and beasts, and shamanic ritual dances. The main forms are the Mongolian andai (III-29), savardin (III-94), bo shaman dance (III-114) and the monastery cham (III-57), the Daur lurgel (III-28), the Evenki shaman dance (III-104), the Xibe beilen (III-95), and the Russian tap dance of Tacheng (III-144). The Secret History of the Mongols already tells of Mongols dancing round a tree in celebration, and the andai took shape around the late Ming and early Qing.

Timeline

Mid-13th century to present
1240 · OriginThe Secret History of the Mongols, compiled around the mid-13th century, records that when Qutula was raised as khan the people feasted under a great tree and 'danced round the tree until they had trampled the ground into a ditch', the earliest written record of Mongol group dance.1698 · EvolutionIn 1698 the Torghut leader Arabjur led his people from the Volga to the Ejina river, bringing the Oirat savardin, which has been danced there for more than three hundred years.1778 · EvolutionThe first living Buddha of Guangzong Monastery in Alxa, Lobsang Tuden Gyatso, created its cham, performed without a break in the Alxa monasteries from 1778 to 1960; cham had come to Inner Mongolia with the Gelug school more than four centuries ago.2006 · ImpactIn 2006 the andai and the Daur lurgel entered the first national ICH list; cham, savardin and the Xibe beilen followed in 2008, then the Evenki shaman dance (2011), the bo dance (2014) and the Russian tap dance (2021).
  1. 1240OriginThe Secret History of the Mongols, compiled around the mid-13th century, records that when Qutula was raised as khan the people feasted under a great tree and 'danced round the tree until they had trampled the ground into a ditch', the earliest written record of Mongol group dance.Literature › The Secret History of the Mongols
  2. 1698EvolutionIn 1698 the Torghut leader Arabjur led his people from the Volga to the Ejina river, bringing the Oirat savardin, which has been danced there for more than three hundred years.History › Torghut Return and Settlement in Ejina
  3. 1778EvolutionThe first living Buddha of Guangzong Monastery in Alxa, Lobsang Tuden Gyatso, created its cham, performed without a break in the Alxa monasteries from 1778 to 1960; cham had come to Inner Mongolia with the Gelug school more than four centuries ago.
  4. 2006ImpactIn 2006 the andai and the Daur lurgel entered the first national ICH list; cham, savardin and the Xibe beilen followed in 2008, then the Evenki shaman dance (2011), the bo dance (2014) and the Russian tap dance (2021).

Heritage Listings

  1. 2006National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage1st batch · Ⅲ-28 Daur lurgel dance · no. 131 · nominated by Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Banner · Inner Mongolia · and Harbin · Heilongjiang
  2. 2006National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage1st batch · Ⅲ-29 Mongolian andai dance · no. 132 · nominated by Hure Banner · Inner Mongolia
  3. 2008National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage2nd batch · Ⅲ-57 Cham (Chama) · no. 654 · nominated by Alxa League · Inner Mongolia
  4. 2008National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage2nd batch · Ⅲ-94 Mongolian savardin · no. 691 · nominated by Hejing County · Xinjiang
  5. 2008National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage2nd batch · Ⅲ-95 Xibe beilen dance · no. 692 · nominated by Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County · Xinjiang
  6. 2011National list extension3rd batch · Ⅲ-94 Savardin · Bohu County · Xinjiang
  7. 2011National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage3rd batch · Ⅲ-104 Evenki shaman dance · no. 1093 · nominated by Genhe · Inner Mongolia
  8. 2014National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage4th batch · Ⅲ-114 Bo (Mongolian shaman) dance · no. 1267 · nominated by Qian Gorlos Mongol Autonomous County · Jilin
  9. 2021National list extension5th batch · Ⅲ-94 Savardin · Ejina Banner · Alxa League · Inner Mongolia
  10. 2021National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage5th batch · Ⅲ-144 Russian tap dance · no. 1416 · nominated by Tacheng · Xinjiang