Exhibition Corner for 2012 International Summit on Epic Studies

When: 9:00-12:00AM, 1:30-6:00PM, November 17-18, 2012
Where: Conference Room 3, the 8th level of the main building　　

　　This 1000-volume collection represents modest samples of epic traditions in China with the richness of diverse ethnicities and cultures. It encompasses the following 43 ethnic minorities’ epics handed down in the mainland China, including Altaic language speaking peoples such as Manchu, Xibe, Hezhen, Evenki, Oroqen (Man-Tungusic group); Mongolian, Tu, Yugur, Dongxiang, Bonan (Mongolian group); Uyghur, Uzbek, Kazakh, Kirgiz, Tatar, Salar, Yugur( Turkic group) ; Sino-Tibetan language speaking peoples such as Tibetan, Lhoba, Monba, Bai, Tujia, Qiang, Pumi, Achang, Yi, Lisu, Lahu, Hani, Jino, Nakhi, Jingpo, Derung, Nu, Gelao, Dong, Sui, Maonan, Mulam, Li, Zhuang, Bouyei, Dai, Miao, Yao, She, as well as the ethnic groups belonging to the Austroasiatic language family, such as Blang, De'ang, Wa. At the same time, we endeavor to cover some publications concerning cultural diversity, creativity, and sustainability addressing in different regions around the world, for instance, the materials from Europe, Asia, and Americas. Publications donated by our invited speakers are also displayed as a token acknowledging our indebtedness.

　　The China Ethnic Literature Archives, as a key project carried out by the Institute of Ethnic Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, boasts a unique folklore database both in China and abroad by far, focusing on the systematic collecting, processing, cataloguing, classifying, and preserving the oral traditional materials for ethnic minority groups living in China.

　　The ongoing project has collected a large amount of research data which encompassing 6884 hours audio and video recordings in 2885 different items, 19735 photographs, 8369 volumes of manuscripts. These data which cover more than 20 indigenous genres related to narrative song, ballad, legend, folktales, proverb, lament, lyrics, and song of shaman have been collected from 29 ethnic groups such as Mongolian, Tibetan, Manchu, Uygur, Kazak, Kirgiz, Xibe, Tajik, Tu, Moinba, Zhuang, Dong, Dai, Yao, Nakhi, Li, Lisu, Ewenki, Daur, Hezhe. The field work areas include Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and Beijing. Some of the data have been collected from the neighboring countries and districts such as Japan. Korea, Mongolia, the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as Buryat, Kalmyk, and Tuva of the Russian Federation.

　　The main collection of phonetic recordings are those first hand materials concerning the living oral traditions and verbal art in China, especially the Three Grand Epics, Tibetan epic Gesar, Mongolian epic Janggar, and Kirgiz epic Manas, which are still performed by the epic singers and storytellers from the different ethnic groups in the remote areas. These archives also possess audio-visual recordings, photographs, and varied manuscripts or texts with regard to different thematic data or data sets on traditional skills, religious practices, ritual events, life experiences of epic performers and folk artists.  

 

A series of China‘s Epic Studies

The transcribed collections of
Tibetan epic master singer Bsam-grub’s oral Performances