Region - Educational Research and Reviews

Ordos, situated within the agricultural-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia, represents a critical geographical and cultural area for the convergence of nomadic and agrarian lifestyles, as well as the integration of Mongol and Han traditions. The historical "Zou Xikou" migration, involving a large-scale movement of Han Chinese into the region over centuries, has gradually transformed Mongol-Han intermarriage from a longstanding social taboo into a widely accepted norm, fostering deeper cross-cultural exchanges. Wedding music, as a vital medium for displaying ethnic identity and heritage, vividly illustrates processes of co-creation and adaptive change through ongoing intercultural interaction. Current academic studies predominantly focus on broader folk songs or marriage customs, often neglecting the specific mechanisms, practical applications, and cultural significance of wedding music within intermarriage contexts. Adopting a cultural integration framework, this paper examines the dynamics of Mongol-Han coexistence in Ordos, compares traditional wedding music forms of the two ethnic groups, analyzes emerging fusion patterns of ritual music in cross-ethnic marriages, and explores the socio-historical factors driving these musical transformations. The findings advance the understanding of how Chinese folk music functions as an expressive vehicle for ethnic identity, revealing the nuanced mechanisms through which cultural elements evolve and interact within multi-ethnic communities.