The creation epic of the Yi people, Meige (梅葛), was translated and published in Korean in 2014 by Seoul-based 民俗苑, according to a news item from the bimonthly Forum on Folk Culture (彝族创世史诗《梅葛》在韩国出版). There are some 8 million Yi (彝族) living in China, Vietnam and Thailand, of which over 4.5 million reside in Yunnan Province. As … Continue reading Yi Creation Epic Published in Korean, Based on “Reconstructed” Mandarin Version
Category: Oral Literature (口头文学、史诗、达斯坦)
11th-Century Turkic Classic “Kutadgu Bilig” Recited in Chinese at the Great Hall of the People
Wish I could have been there along with former Minister of Culture Wang Meng — a Han who spent part of the Cultural Revolution in Ili laboring among Uyghurs — and central government and Xinjiang dignitaries. I was briefly in Beijing but unaware of the event: On January 18, a new Chinese rendition of the … Continue reading 11th-Century Turkic Classic “Kutadgu Bilig” Recited in Chinese at the Great Hall of the People
China & “King Gesar”: Challenges of Putting an Oral Epic to Paper
In a Q & A (艺人及其抢救) with Dr. Yang Enhong, Yao Hui of the Institute of Ethnic Literature (China Academy of Social Sciences) succeeds in extracting fascinating details about how Drakpa (གྲགས་པ།，扎巴), a master storyteller (说唱艺人) of the Tibetan oral epic King Gesar was discovered, and his performances preserved in audio recordings and in written form --- … Continue reading China & “King Gesar”: Challenges of Putting an Oral Epic to Paper
The Redundant Hakawati: Syrian Chaos and WhatsApp Marginalize Traditional Storytellers
AP's Diaa Hadid reports on a bit of collateral damage generated by the Syrian civil war (Life Upended by War): For more than 20 years, the Storyteller of Damascus entertained crowds in a centuries-old cafe in the Syrian capital with long, poetic tales of Arab warriors and lovers, acting out scenes with his fists thumping … Continue reading The Redundant Hakawati: Syrian Chaos and WhatsApp Marginalize Traditional Storytellers
“King Yalu”: Miao Oral Epic Published in Chinese
For the first time ever, the Miao historical epic King Yalu (亚鲁王), has been rendered in a written form: Chinese. The first part, consisting of 1,089 lines, has been published by Zhonghua Book Company (中华书局). Traditionally sung over several days at a funeral, King Yalu is the epic story of war, defeat and migration of … Continue reading “King Yalu”: Miao Oral Epic Published in Chinese
Jangar Culture & Arts Palace Opens in Xinjiang
(Posted: April 24, 2014) With the recent opening of the “Jangar Culture & Arts Palace” (江格尔文化艺术宫), China’s campaign to project itself as a nation with a rich multi-ethnic past and present continues apace. According to a report republished on the web site of the China Writers Association (建成投用), the building covers over 6,000 square meters … Continue reading Jangar Culture & Arts Palace Opens in Xinjiang
Manchu Ulabun: A Hot Research Topic in China
Apparently known as ulabun in Manchu and Shuō bù (说部) in Chinese, this is a storytelling tradition—involving song and recital—among the Manchu of northeast China. These tales naturally center around folk heroes, indigenous religious beliefs and history of the Manchu, but some Chinese experts argue that it has long been influenced by the Han tradition … Continue reading Manchu Ulabun: A Hot Research Topic in China
“Pamir Kyrgyz Traditional Song Conference” Held in Xinjiang’s Akto County
Just a few weeks after 40 Uyghur masters of the rhymed epic tales known as dastan gathered in Hami to stage and talk about their threatened art form (Dastan Training Session), some 60-plus performers of traditional Kyrgyz songs have gathered for a similar get-together in Xinjiang’s Akto County (阿克陶县) bordering on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. According … Continue reading “Pamir Kyrgyz Traditional Song Conference” Held in Xinjiang’s Akto County
“Butterfly Mother” and “Dragon-Eagles”: Processing Folklore in Southwest China
In the latest edition of Oral Tradition (Processing Epics), Mark Bender explores—via highly readable notes on his field-work—how the Miao myth-epic Mai Bang (Butterfly Mother) and the Nuosu’s creation-epic Dragon-Eagles have gradually been rendered in written form: My title also contains the word “processing”—and by that I mean the process through which traditional texts are performed … Continue reading “Butterfly Mother” and “Dragon-Eagles”: Processing Folklore in Southwest China
“King Gesar” Book Review: Epic Ballad Turned Novel Lacks Poetry
Writes David Yao (姚达兑) in a review of the new best-seller, King Gesar (格萨尔王), by Alai (阿来): . . . the tale of King Gesar is recited by [the roaming bard] Jin Mei, while the entire novel is recited by Alai; King Gesar recounts his world-weariness and confusion to Jin Mei, while the novelist makes use … Continue reading “King Gesar” Book Review: Epic Ballad Turned Novel Lacks Poetry
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