The Vajra Exorcism Dance at Yonghegong Lamasery in Beijing: A Semiotic Analysis
Hengfu Zhu, L H Zhu
Religions April 29, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/rel17050534 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Exorcism Semiotics Performative utterance Ceremony Iconoclasm Trance Aesthetics Literature Alterity Attunement Visual arts Spiritual practice Element criminal law Rite Contemporary dance Iconography Connotation Negotiation Choreography Performing arts |
| Key points | Argues that the Vajra Exorcism Dance's formal elements are systematically structured manifestations of Vajrayana Buddhist soteriology and cosmology, and that its transformation from imperial ceremony to public spectacle reflects an ongoing negotiation between esoteric efficacy and popular accessibility. |
Abstract
This study examines the Vajra Exorcism Dance—commonly known as “Beating the Devils” (tiao buzha)—as performed at Yonghegong Lamasery in Beijing, positioning it as a quintessential example of monastic Nuoxi in which ritual form serves as the active embodiment of doctrinal content. By situating the performance within its historical, religious, and socio-political contexts, this paper argues that the dance’s choreography, iconography, music, and costumes are not merely aesthetic expressions but systematically structured manifestations of Vajrayana Buddhist soteriology and cosmology. Through a semiotic and performative analysis of ethnographic, historical, and visual sources, the study demonstrates how each formal element is meticulously designed to fulfill the ritual’s core objectives: the destruction of mental defilements and the establishment of a purified sacred realm. Furthermore, the paper investigates how the ritual’s transformation—from an imperial ceremony under Qing patronage to a public urban spectacle—reflects an ongoing negotiation between esoteric efficacy and popular accessibility, with its continued survival dependent upon this dynamic symbiosis.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The globalization of ayahuasca: Harm reduction or benefit maximization? | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ayahuasca healing beyond the Amazon: the globalization of a traditional indigenous entheogenic practice | 2008 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |