The book presents the annotated texts of 21 songs of Eastern Mongol shamans. The transcriptions
are kept in the Archives of Oral Literature of the Northrhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences
and Arts in Düsseldorf. The publication contributes new knowledge of the history ritual
practices beliefs and customs of the Qorcin (Khorchin) Mongol shamans of eastern Inner
Mongolia in particular. It focuses on 21 shamanic songs performed for different purposes. They
are sung by 8 shamans who were born in the first decades of the 20th century. The Mongol texts
of the songs are supplied with an English translation extensive commentaries and melodies in
numeric notation. The author analyses the 21 songs by making use of passages from songs
belonging to the repertoire of other Qorcin Mongol shamans. The 21 songs were placed within a
broad framework of Mongolian oral legends and heroic epics showing that they also evoke themes
recurring in different contexts. The book contains 18 photos taken by the author during field
trips among the Qorcin shamans.
