MONGOLIAN CHAM (TSAM) DANCE

The Cham Dance, known in Mongolia as the Tsam Dance, is one of the most sacred ritual performances in Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhism. It embodies the power and compassion of Protector Deities—enlightened beings who vowed before the Buddha to use their wisdom and strength to protect all sentient beings from suffering. Through their fierce yet compassionate forms, these deities destroy ignorance, conquer negative forces, and remove inner and outer obstacles that prevent enlightenment.

Before performing the Cham, monks undergo weeks of intensive retreat and meditation, visualizing themselves as the deity they will represent. They contemplate the symbolic meanings of their masks, costumes, hand implements, and sacred gestures, transforming the dance into an act of meditation and divine manifestation. Thus, during the performance, the dancers do not merely act—they become the deity itself, radiating spiritual power and blessings for all who witness the ritual.

Cham is both a meditational practice and a ritual offering, intended not as entertainment but as a sacred act that benefits all beings. Every movement, rhythm, and gesture carries deep spiritual symbolism. There are many forms of Cham—some performed with masks and others without, some emphasizing intricate hand mudras, others energetic footwork. Performances may involve a few monks or more than a hundred dancers. In Mongolian tradition, twenty-four Cham forms are known, with the most significant being the Khüree Cham or “Monastic Cham.”

The first recorded Mongolian Khüree Cham dedicated to the Protector Deities was performed in 1811, based on a script written by Jidors’s Agvaankhaidav Khamba Lama. It was held annually on the ninth day of the last summer month, involving 74 masked dancers and 103 total participants. Suppressed during the political purges of the 1930s, this ancient ritual was revived in 1999 at Gandantegchinlen Monastery in Ulaanbaatar. The contemporary Jakhar Cham, one of its main forms, is based on the Yamantaka ritual, symbolizing the victory of wisdom over ignorance and death. The hero of this dance, Bahya Sadhana Yamaraja, conquers the Lord of Death (Yama) and transforms destructive energy into spiritual awakening.

Preparation for the Cham begins with the Yamantaka retreat on the full moon of the middle summer month. After days of meditation and training, monks perform the Cham ritual over three days, culminating on the ninth day with the public dance lasting from morning until night. Seven concentric white circles are drawn on the ground, representing the realms of existence, with a small felt tent at the center containing the sacred Jakhar and Sor offerings. Dancers move in clockwise circles around this center to purify the environment and eliminate suffering. The ritual concludes with a fire offering (Sor), symbolizing purification and renewal.

Each mask, costume, and sacred implement is crafted according to precise iconography and empowered by a high lama through a special consecration ceremony, giving it the same spiritual potency as the deity it represents.

The Cham Dance Today

After decades of suppression during the communist era, the Tsam has experienced a remarkable revival since the 1990s. Monasteries such as Gandantegchinlen, Amarbayasgalant, and Erdene Zuu have reinstated their Cham rituals, while large-scale festivals like Danshig Naadam – Khüree Tsam in Ulaanbaatar draw hundreds of performers and thousands of visitors. In 2025, over 120 dancers performed at the Khüree Tsam near Khui Doloon Khudag, blending ritual authenticity with vibrant cultural celebration.

However, this revival faces challenges. Many monasteries lost their living lineage of dancers and ritual masters during the purges, so today’s monks must relearn the choreography and esoteric meaning from surviving texts and elders. Scholars and monks caution that while the dance is increasingly performed for cultural heritage and tourism, it must remain rooted in its spiritual essence to preserve its authenticity. To support this, cultural organizations, artists, and monastic institutions now collaborate to restore traditional mask-making, train new generations of monks, and promote understanding of the Cham as both a living spiritual practice and national cultural treasure.

Today, the Cham Dance stands as a vivid expression of Mongolia’s living Buddhist heritage—a bridge between ritual and art, meditation and performance, the human and the divine. It continues to evolve, reminding both monks and spectators of the timeless struggle between ignorance and wisdom, chaos and enlightenment.