From Shamanic Ritual to the Ritual-Music System: The Structural Evolution of Shamanic Ritual Martial Dance and Its Foundational Role in Later Martial Dance Forms

Background and

Aims: This study investigates the historical evolution of Ganqi Dance, a prototypical form of Shamanic Ritual Martial Dance, and its structural transformation within the Chinese ritual-music system. By decoding its triadic structure of movement–instrument–space, the research aims to elucidate how this dance form transitioned from a shamanic martial rite into a formalized component of state rituals, and how it laid the foundation for subsequent martial-ritual practices in Chinese history. Methodology: The research adopts a qualitative historical approach, integrating systematic literature review, textual criticism, and artifact/iconographic analysis. Key sources include oracle bone inscriptions, bronze ritual vessels, and canonical texts such as The Book of Rites, Zhouli, and Yili. Excavated artifacts like the Fangjia of Lady Fu Hao, bronze weapons with Ganqi motifs, and Eight Yi dance formations are analyzed to reconstruct the choreographic and symbolic logic of the Ganqi Phalanx.

Results: Findings reveal that the Ganqi Dance functioned as a political-religious performance uniting military authority and spiritual communication. The coordinated use of ritual weapons (Gan and Qi) and square spatial configurations mirrored cosmological principles and hierarchical state order. This triadic ritual structure was later codified into Confucian ceremonial forms, with enduring symbolic and institutional influence visible in the Da Wu dance, imperial ceremonies, and modern ritual revivals.

Conclusion: The Ganqi Dance represents a foundational model in Chinese ritual-military choreography, integrating somatic technique, cosmological space, and ritual objects into a unified ceremonial expression. Its structural logic exemplifies the translation of shamanic ritual into codified state ideology. This study contributes a new interpretive framework for analyzing ancient dance as a complex embodiment of political, religious, and aesthetic functions. Future research should explore digital reconstructions and comparative studies with other East Asian ritual martial traditions.