Ritual Functions of Guruu Duu: From Shamanic Rites to Court Ceremonies
Yixuan Zhang
Университетский научный журнал December 29, 2025 DOI: 10.25807/22225064_2025_89_189 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key points | Argues that the Mongolian song genre guruu duu operates as a dynamic ritual system that adapts to historical and cultural change while retaining a sacred core. It contends that the genre functions as a musical mediator between social and spiritual levels and serves in the transmission of power, memory, and cultural identity. |
Abstract
The article examines the song genre guruu duu as a ritual phenomenon of Mongolian musical culture. Particular attention is paid to its functions in shamanic rites, court ceremonies, and collective forms of sacred communication. The semantic, structural, and historical-cultural features of the genre are revealed. The study uses an interdisciplinary approach, combining methods of ethnomusicology and cultural anthropology. The novelty of the work lies in the consideration of guruu duu as a dynamic ritual system that is adaptable to historical and cultural changes. It has been established that the genre retains its sacred core despite institutionalisation and functions as a musical mediator between different levels of social and spiritual space. Its role in the transmission of power, memory, and cultural identity is demonstrated.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |