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Topshur, Biiv: Oirat music instruments


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Authors

Bulag, Uradyn E. 
Fuerwa, Dorjraa 

Abstract

This video explores the Biive and Topshur, two of the oldest Oirat Mongolian instruments. The creation of the Biive is intertwined with tales of Buddha and the Ghost. Legend has it that Buddha crafted the Biive but struggled to produce sound until the Ghost suggested using rosin and bow strings. Folklore recalls phrases like “Biiven Tatach Sonsod Mordi, Bilstege Juugech Uzed Mordi”, meaning let me hear your Biiv’s sound before my departure, let me look at your rings before setting off”. Although Idemjav has lost the Biive passed down from her parents, she has been playing the Topshur since a very young age and often attends Topshur performance competitions. Currently, with Topshurs becoming commonplace in households, there is a notable resurgence in its cultural heritage.

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Keywords

Biiv, Topshur, Oirat Mongolian Instruments

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Publisher

Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Documentation Project, University of Cambridge

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Sponsorship
Sponsored by Arcadia Fund, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.