This study explores the cultural meanings and ethnic memory embedded in the traditional dances of the Oroqen, Daur, and Evenki communities in China. Through a comparative analysis of their distinctive dance forms, it examines how these practices function not only as embodied expressions of aesthetic tradition but also as powerful representations of cultural identity, ecological awareness, and totemic belief systems. By focusing on movement vocabularies, ritual functions, and performance contexts, the study demonstrates that dance operates as a multidimensional medium that connects past and present, integrates sacred and communal life, and reflects relationships between the natural world and symbolic systems.Rather than being limited to artistic expression, dance emerges as a living archive of collective memory. It preserves narratives of historical experience, transmits knowledge across generations, and strengthens social cohesion within each community. The hunting related mimetic dances of the Oroqen, the ritual practices of the Evenki, and the festive performances of the Daur each reveal the close interrelation between dance, cosmological perspectives, and everyday sociocultural practices. In the context of modernization and cultural homogenization, traditional dance also functions as a form of cultural resilience. It sustains ethnic distinctiveness while remaining open to processes of adaptation and renewal. The findings of this study underscore the significant role of dance in maintaining social structures, affirming cultural continuity, and fostering a shared sense of belonging, thereby contributing to the ongoing preservation of China’s intangible cultural heritage.

Lina Yi, Loh Yoke Ling. Artistic Features and Cultural Connotations of the 'Three Minorities' Dances in Inner Mongolia: A Comparative Study. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 3: 46-52. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090307.

[1] Sang, X. Q. (2023). A study on the artistic characteristics and ethnic culture of the “three minority” dances in Inner Mongolia (Master’s thesis, Shandong Normal University). https://doi.org/10.27280/d.cnki.gsdsu.2023.001904

[2] Lan, L. Y., & Ma, C. Y. (2023). A new exploration in Chinese ethnic dance studies: A review of Series on the inheritance, development, and aesthetics of dance culture among China’s less populous ethnic groups. China Book Review, (01), 114–120.

[3] Aodeng. (2019). Stylistic characteristics of Oroqen dance among the “three minority” ethnic groups in Inner Mongolia. Voice of the Yellow River, (23), 124. https://doi.org/10.19340/j.cnki.hhzs.2019.23.094

[4] Erdenqimuge. (2018). Analysis of dance types among the “three minority” ethnic groups. Voice of the Yellow River, (23), 133. https://doi.org/10.19340/j.cnki.hhzs.2018.23.104

[5] Shan, Y. C. (2016). Analysis of dance types among the “three minority” ethnic groups. Inner Mongolia Art, (01), 29–32.

[6] Jiang, Y. H. (2015). Research on the inheritance and development of dance culture among the four minority ethnic groups in the Heilongjiang River Basin (Master’s thesis, Qiqihar University).

[7] He, J. (2010). A comparative study of Mongolian dance and the “three minority” ethnic dances in Inner Mongolia (Master’s thesis, Inner Mongolia University).

[8] Yi, L., & Ling, Y. L. (2025). Embodied heritage and cultural memory: A comparative study of Oroqen, Evenki, and Daur dance traditions in Inner Mongolia. Journal of Integrated Social Sciences and Humanities, (1).

[9] Anierqiqige. (2024). A study on innovation in ethnic dance works of the Inner Mongolia Wulanmuqi (Master’s thesis, Northwest Minzu University). https://doi.org/10.27408/d.cnki.gxmzc.2024.000043

[10] Dang, W. B., & Hu, Y. M. H. (2022). Research on the protection and inheritance of northern Chinese ethnic minority dances. Music Life, (06), 86–89.

[11] Ping, Y., & Yang, L. (2023). Analysis of performance styles of intangible cultural heritage dances in Inner Mongolia. China Ethnic Expo, (18), 136–138.