"You Can't Sing Urtyn Duu If You Don't Know How to Ride a Horse": Urtyn Duu in Alshaa, Inner Mongolia

This study examines urtyn duu, a genre of traditional Mongol singing sung by the people of Alshaa in Inner Mongolia. Urtyn duu singing is deeply influenced by the Alshaa Mongols' nomadic herding lifestyle, and zoological and visual metaphors are commonly used in songs. This article discusses stage arrangements designed by artists that invoke old practices, thus maintaining consistency with past traditions in the face of significant social change. I argue that despite musical changes, urtyn duu still allows Mongols in Alshaa to express their feelings of nostalgia and longing for the past and to remain connected to their traditions.