This article continues the visual ethnography series using images and close observation to examine how people live, make meaning, and give those meanings form in practice. Please refer to the Index of Artscapes and Articles for other works that may be of interest.

Plate note: Erhi (Mong. Эрхи) is the Mongolian term for mala. ‘Mala’ is the Sanskrit term for ‘garland’. The beads are also known as ‘juzu’ in Japanese, ‘shu zhu’ in Chinese, ‘threngwa’ in Tibetan and ‘badi’ in Burmese. An Эрхи is a deeply significant tool in the form of Vajrayana (Gelugpa) Buddhism that has developed in Mongolia. By incorporating an Эрхи into their daily routines, practitioners engage in a tangible act that helps (amongst other things) to calm the mind and develop concentration. “Эрхи” Digital art: C.Pleteshner for CPinMongolia.com. 28 September 2025.

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FURTHER READING

Beyond the erhi as an individual aid to mindfulness, Out and About 04: Gandan Lhavjaa in Ulaanbaatar places Mongolian Gelug practice within a communal and liturgical setting, documenting the visual and performative honours paid to Je Tsong Khapa in Mongolia’s capital.

The tactile intimacy of prayer beads opens onto shared devotion in Out and About 13: Amicizia senza confini, which follows religious practice and cross-cultural friendship during a pilgrimage to Delgeruun Choira monastery in the Gobi.

Through a more poetic register, Mongolian Poetry 42: Adverse Circumstance, Your True Companion reflects on faith, constant recollection and spiritual discipline amid the difficulties of everyday life.

End of transcript.

Refer to the INDEX for other articles that may be of interest.

© 2013-2026. CP in Mongolia. “Artscape 14: Erhi (Эрхи)” is licensed under the  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Open access should not be understood as the absence of attribution. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions.  Posted: 27 September 2025. Last updated: 28 September 2026.