manas

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Manas

Applicant: Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Item No.: 25

Project No.: I-25

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: Folk Literature

Region: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Type: new item

Applicant: Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Protection unit: Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection (Manas Protection Research) center of Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture

About Manas:

Applicant: Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Manas is a heroic epic of the Kirgiz nationality. It describes the heroic deeds of Manas and his seven generations of descendants who led the Kirgiz people to fight against foreign invaders and various evil forces. Manas embodies Kirgiz people's indomitable national character and national spirit of unity and enterprising.

Manas is mainly spread in Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture in the south of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture in the north of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In addition, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in Central Asia are also important spreading areas of Manas, as well as northern Afghanistan.

According to literature, Manas began to spread in the 16th century and has been handed down by mouth and ear for thousands of years. Folk singers play an important role in the creation and inheritance of epic.

The census of "Manas" began in the 1960s. Many singers singing "Manas" were found in the census, and different versions of "Manas" were recorded. Since the 1960s, the Kirgiz version of 8 Manas (230000 lines, 18 volumes) sung by Jusuf mamayi has been recorded, sorted out and published. At present, there are many translations in English, Russian, Chinese, Turkish, Japanese and Kazakh.

Manas is regarded as the national soul of Kirgiz and embodies the spiritual strength of Kirgiz. It absorbs nutrition from the ancient Kirgiz epic and rich Kirgiz folk literature, and contains Kirgiz ancient myths, legends, folk songs, folk narrative poems and folk proverbs. It is a great achievement of Kirgiz folk literature and an encyclopedia of Kirgiz folk culture. It has the value of literature, history, language, folk custom and other disciplines.

With the acceleration of the process of modernization, the inheritance of Manas is facing a crisis. Some important epic singers have died one after another, and the living famous singers are over the age of rare. The situation of epic inheritance is grim. Therefore, it is urgent to rescue and protect Manas.