Epic “Manas. Epic "Manas" and its significance in world culture

- Kyrgyz folk epic named for the main character.

The time of creation, as well as the genesis of the epic, have not been precisely established. One of the initiators of the study Manasa, Kazakh writer M.Auezov (1897-1961), on the basis of the central episode dedicated to the campaign against the Uighurs, put forward a hypothesis according to which the epic was created no earlier than 840. It reflects the events of the 9th and 10th centuries, that is, the period of "Kyrgyz great power" when the Kyrgyz were a large and powerful people (in some historical sources it is claimed that at that time they had from 80 thousand to 400 thousand soldiers (Genghis Khan, who created an invincible state, had 125 thousand soldiers).

Episode Chon-kazat (Great hike) tells about the struggle against a strong eastern state (Mongol-Chinese or Mongol-Turkic), within which the city of Beijin was located, which was forty or, in another version, ninety days' journey from the Kyrgyz state.

Proceeding from the fact that in 840 the Kirghiz conquered the Uyghur kingdom and took its central city Bei-Tin, M. Auezov suggested that the conqueror of this city who died in 847 is Manas. The first songs of the poem about Manas, whoever he was by origin, were created in the year of the death of this historical hero as custom required. The reservation is important, because not a single proper name of the commanders or ajo (the then name of the Kyrgyz khans) has survived from that era. Therefore, perhaps, the name of the hero was different and only a later nickname remained for the descendants (the name of a deity from the shamanic pantheon or from Manicheism, which was then widespread in Central Asia).

Just like the poet-warrior from Words about Igor's regiment sang another historical campaign, the warriors of Manas sang the events in which they took part. Chief among them is Yrymandyn-yrchi-uul (or Dzhaisan-yrchi, that is, the prince-poet), a comrade-in-arms of Manas. He is a fighter-hero, and therefore the obligatory dream that the narrators see before performing the epic can be interpreted symbolically - they participate in a feast, etc., as if also numbered among the choro, the comrades-in-arms of Manas. Thus, "Chon-Kazat" was created either during the campaign itself, or directly behind it.

The main core of the epic, which is characterized by many historical strata, was formed in the 15th and 18th centuries.

Auezov M. ... - In the book: Auezov M. Thoughts different years ... Almaty, 1959
Kyrgyz heroic epic "Manas"... M., 1961
Kerimzhanova B. "Semetey" and "Seytek"... Frunze, 1961
Zhirmunsky V.M. Folk heroic epic... M. - L., 1962
Kydyrbaeva R.Z. The genesis of the epic "Manas"... Frunze, Ilim, 1980
Bernshtam A.N. The era of the emergence of the Kyrgyz epic "Manas" // Encyclopedic phenomenon of the epic "Manas", Bishkek, 1995

Find " MANAS "on

Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic

Kyrgyz State Technical University

them. I. Razzakova

Faculty of Energy

Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences

Kyrgyz culture in the epic "Manas"

Completed by: Zhunusbekov A.Zh.

student of group NVIE-1-08

Checked by: Bakchiev T.A.

Bishkek 2010

epic manas kyrgyz tradition

Introduction

Kyrgyz culture in the Epic "Manas"

1 Marriage

2 Wake

3 Funeral

Conclusion

Introduction

Huge role in cultural life Kyrgyz played oral creativity, the shining peak of which should be considered the world famous "ocean-like" epic "Manas". In terms of its volume and breadth of coverage of life phenomena, "Manas" has no equal among other epic monuments of the world. It has enormous literary significance and is included in the UNESCO database as one of the greatest creations of mankind.

Probably, oral poetry has been familiar to the ancestors of the Kyrgyz people since the 3rd century. BC e., when the term "Kyrgyz" became known thanks to Chinese written sources. Since then, Kyrgyz folklore has gradually formed and developed. A thousand years later, the epic "Manas" has not lost its relevance. There are theatrical performances, manaschi contests are held. The best versions of the epic have been published, although until now it has not yet been published in full. But the most important meaning of the Manas Epic is that it contains information about the culture of the Kyrgyz, i.e. about everyday life, traditions, rituals, philosophy, language, diplomacy, military affairs, folk pedagogy and many other aspects of the life of the Kyrgyz people. Having existed for centuries in the mouths of the people, the epic, like a mirror, reflects the culture, life, customs of the Kyrgyz, covering several centuries in its context.

1. The culture of the Kyrgyz in the epic "Manas"

"But we are sure, as long as the century is replaced by the century, as long as the era follows the era, as long as the Kyrgyz people (and all mankind!) Will live, the epic Manas will live like the shining peak of the daring ancient Kyrgyz spirit ..." - Chingiz Aitmatov, "Shining the pinnacle of the ancient Kyrgyz spirit "

As mentioned earlier, the epic Manas has great value, but it cannot be called simply an epic, because the term "epic" cannot reflect its full meaning and meaning for the Kyrgyz people.

A touch to the epic "Manas" is a touch to Eternity, to God, for "Manas" for many centuries has been a deep expression for the Kyrgyz people national identity, the highest measure of spirituality, an invaluable cultural monument. This is a grandiose epic that tells about the deeds of three generations of heroes: Manas, his son Semetey and grandson Seytek. Developing over the centuries, it reflected the culture, life, customs, history, ethnography, psychology and customs of the people in a vivid artistic form and absorbed many genres of Kyrgyz folklore.

Due to the fact that the epic describes the entire life of Manas from birth, including the genealogy, to his death and the birth of his son and grandson, we can see the culture of the Kyrgyz people for several generations.

For example, in part material culture interesting are the types of dwellings, various clothes, horse equipment, food, etc. The message of the epic on military affairs, weapons and military clothing deserves special attention. "Manas" contains extensive information on spiritual culture, folk knowledge (especially, folk medicine) myths, religious beliefs, folk games and entertainment, musical instruments, etc.

So, the epic tells about three world religions, including the Nestorian Christians, who are called Tarsa. Among the data reported by "Manas" about the games, wrestling kuresh and martial arts deserve attention. In the epic, we identified information about about 20 different musical instruments.

1 Marriage

The episode of the epic devoted to the matchmaking of Manas and his marriage to Kanykey arouses a completely justified interest. On the advice of his friend Almambet, Manas, who already has two wives: Karaberk and Akylai, decides to marry according to the ceremony and appeals to his parents with a request to get him good girl... At the same time, Manas indicates that he conquered Karaberk, and Akylai went to him as a hostage. In the previous episodes of the epic, it is described how, having defeated the Kalmyk khan Kayip, Manas is captivated by the beauty of Karaberk, one of the thirty daughters of the khan, who wanted to take revenge on Manas for the death of her father and kill him. Learning that her father was still alive, Karaberk dismounted from her horse and bowed to the ground to Manas. On the occasion of the wedding of Manas and Karaberk, a 30-day feast was arranged.

Defeated by the troops of Manas, the Afghan Khan Shooruk sent Manasa as a sign of submission 30 female hostages, led by his daughter Akylai. Manas led the girls into the middle of the circle of his warriors and invited them to choose those horsemen they liked. Akylai came out first and chose Manas as her husband.

At the request of Manas, his father Dzhakyp went to look for a bride for him. Having traveled many countries and not finding suitable girl, Dzhakyp arrived in the country of Tajiks. Appreciating the qualities of Sanirabiygi, the daughter of the Tajik ruler of Atemir Khan, Dzhakyp woo the girl and, agreeing with the unprecedented size of the kalym installed by her father, returns back. After the people gathered cattle to pay the kalym, Manas, accompanied by 12 thousand horsemen and a 40-thousand army, went with his father to the country of Tajiks. Camping near the city, Manas enters the house where Sanirabiiga sleeps. During this first meeting with the bride, Manas quarreled with her. She slashed his arm with a dagger, and he kicked her, and she fell unconscious. Angered by the inaccessibility of the khan's daughter, Manas hit the battle drum, but his father and wise old men stop the army.

Invited to the wedding feast, Manas sat alone for two days in the yurt allotted for him, since none of the serving women dared to enter him because of his formidable appearance. In anger, Manas decides to destroy the city of Atemir Khan. To tame Manas's anger, Sanirabiyga, as a sign of peace, goes to the dais and throws his white handkerchief into the wind. Taking all the blame for the quarrel on herself, Sanirabiyga approached Manas and took his horse by the reins. After becoming the bride of Manas, Sanirabiyga changes his name and takes the name Kanykei. The rite of chachila is performed - sprinkling sweets on the bride and groom. Forty knights of Manas are discussing which of them should marry which girl. Horse races are organized at the suggestion of Manas. The girl who is in the yurt near which the batyr's horse will stop must belong to the owner of the horse. Almambet's horse came first - he stopped at the yurt of the beautiful Aruuke - Kanykei's sister. The last horse to gallop was Manas. Kanykei went out, took the reins of his horse and led him into her yurt. After the feast arranged by Manas and Kanykey for the batyrs and girls, in order to prevent possible disagreements between them, Manas sends the boys and girls to their former places that night. In the morning, Manas blindfolded the girls and said that the girls would belong to those horsemen who would be touched by their hands. Blindfolded, the girls chose the same batyrs who had galloped to their yurts the day before. The wedding fun and games continued for 30 days and 30 nights, after which Manas with Kanykey, Almambet and 40 knights with their wives returned to their auls.

1.2 Wake

Another interesting fact reflection of culture is the episode of the commemoration of Cocoteus.

On the advice of Manas, Bokmurun, the young adopted son of one of Manas's faithful companions, the Tashkent Khan Koketey, arranges a magnificent funeral for the latter, and after two years - an even more grandiose funeral. The place for the funeral was chosen the Karkyr valley, where Bokmurun resettled all his people. The epic colorfully describes the movement of a huge caravan, the head of which was separated from the tail, at a distance of three days' journey. Arriving at the place of funeral feast, Bokmurun begins to prepare for it and sends mighty hero Dzhash-Aydar to notify all nations about the death of his father and invite them to the funeral - ash. The ambassador is ordered to announce the huge prizes for the winning horses and warn those who refuse to come that they will face severe retribution for the insult inflicted by the refusal. The congress of guests has begun. Manas is the last to arrive. The trip opens with large horse stadiums, in which about a thousand of the best horses participate. After the riders moved to the start, the rest of the people began to feast and treat themselves to meat. Many different competitions are held. The first was shooting with the aim of knocking down an ingot of gold - a zhamba - suspended from a high pole. Then the foot struggle of the Kyrgyz hero Koshoi with the Kalmyk khan Joloi. After the declared and failed fight of the bald men and the competition in untie the camel, a duel on horses with lances (sayish) takes place, in which the Kalmyk hero Kongurbay and Manas himself take part. This is followed by a fight on horses, the purpose of which is to pull and throw the enemy from the saddle. The entertainment ends with the final of the races and the distribution of prizes to the winners. An attempt by the Kalmyks to forcibly take away the received prizes provokes a common battle, which ends with the victory of the Kirghiz.

1.3 Funeral

In the epic, we can see how the burials took place, an example is the stories about the burial of Manas. For the construction of a burial structure (gumbez-mausoleum), part of the building material is mined outside the homeland of the deceased hero.

Kanykei, wife of Manas, sends a caravan of 800 male camels in search of clay. The caravan traveled to many places, searched in Andijan, Namangan, but clay was found only on Mount Kulbe. When the caravan arrived back, the wife of the deceased ordered to immerse the clay in vats and mix it with the wool of cows and goats, and she made sixty kemechs-strong men mix clay on bacon. Bricks are knocked down on the melted bacon. So Kanykei prepared the material for the erection of the grave structure. The purpose of the construction of the grave structure in Altai and Kyrgyz legends is clear: to perpetuate the name of the outstanding heroes.

However, Kanykei did not bury Manas in gumbez. She buried him secretly, at night, in a carefully carved room in the rock, so that enemy thieves would not rob the grave and desecrate the body of the deceased. At her request, the wise old man Bakai carved a statue from a poplar trunk - the wooden double of Manas. He covered it with leather, clothed it in a shroud, put it on a tabyt, and then people covered the statue with a white-woven felted cloth. Was done funeral rite, many people were called. Among those invited were people from the hostile Kyrgyz tribes. They behaved insolently and defiantly, arranged quarrels, fights. But, despite all this, the organizers of the commemoration for several days treated everyone who arrived in general the same way, which speaks of the hospitality of the Kyrgyz. All the gifts were distributed, the debts of Manas were returned to the people.

As soon as the deceptive funeral rite was finished, the enemy thieves appeared. The wife of the deceased showed them worthy attention: she presented them with gifts and gave the statue. Thieves "saw no deception." They carried the idol to the mound and lowered it to the bottom of the pit. So the thieves themselves made sure that there was nothing to steal from Manas. This is also an example of a vivid reflection of the classical cenotaph burial in the Kyrgyz epic "Manas".

From all that has been traced, it follows that the archaeological and ethnographic data coincide with the information of the epic about the funeral rite, and all this is still stored in the memory of the people.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to say that the significance of the epic is enormous, in addition to its historical and literary significance, the epic is proof of the antiquity of Kyrgyz culture and its wealth.

The customs I have outlined (marriage, commemoration and funeral) are only a small part of what the Kyrgyz culture has and what is described in the epic.

But I believe that the epic is not given due attention, even the fact that the epic was not published in full proves this. All versions of the epic must be printed in full and in different languages, so that the whole world knows about the Epic "Manas", as, for example, the English epic about Robin Hood.

The epic is saturated with patriotism, unity, courage. Reading it, you are overwhelmed by a sense of pride in your people. And every person who considers himself KYRGYZ should read it.

It is not for nothing that the epic "Manas" is alive in the hearts of the Kyrgyz people, having passed the test of time. It is necessary to preserve and revive cultural values of the past, because it is our culture that distinguishes us as a separate nation. In general, the epic "Manas" should become the ideology of the Kyrgyz, which will ensure the integrity and prosperity of Kyrgyzstan.

List of used literature

1. Abramzon S.M. "Kirghiz and their ethnogenetic and historical-cultural ties" L .: Nauka, 1971

2. Original version: // Epic "Manas" as a historical and ethnographic source. Abstracts of the international scientific symposium dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the epic "Manas". - Bishkek, 1995 .-- S. 9-11

3.www.literatura.kg

4.www.wellcome.kg

5.www.google.kg

Tutoring

Need help exploring a topic?

Our experts will advise or provide tutoring services on topics of interest to you.
Send a request with the indication of the topic right now to find out about the possibility of obtaining a consultation.

The duty bequeathed from God has been fulfilled ...

A. Pushkin "Boris Godunov"

A century and a half have passed since the Russian scientists Chokan Valikhanov and V.V. Radlov told the world that the "wild stone" Kyrgyz, roaming the foothills of the Tien Shan, have the greatest oral and poetic masterpiece - the heroic epic "Manas". Episodes of the Kyrgyz legend were recorded, published, translated into Russian and German.

Many scientific works have been written about the trilogy "Manas", "Semetey", "Seytek", scientific conferences were held, in 1993 the 1000th anniversary of the epic was celebrated at the world level.

Years passed, but our valiant batyr did not reach the broad masses of the people, few people know the content of the epic itself, not only abroad, but also in the homeland of Manas. And the reason, apparently, is that the text of "Manas" is very voluminous, multivariate. It is too much to translate it in verse, but in a prose arrangement “Manas” loses half of its artistic merit. Imagine an uncut ruby! It's one thing "zhanbashtap zhatyp sonunda", that is, lying on your side and admiring the nature, listening to the narrator-manaschi, another thing - reading about all this yourself. But the main reason, perhaps, is that until now, whether in prose or poetry, it was not the artistic content of the epic that was translated, but its performance in the interpretation of one or another storyteller. It is the same as translating not the drama of V. Shakespeare, but his production on stage, or, let’s say, not the novel by A. Pushkin, but the opera by P. I. Tchaikovsky “Eugene Onegin”.

So I, like the narrators of "Manas", dreamed ...

I went to see my Manas and I saw: he came out of the felt yurt and in all his fighting glory pranks on his white horse in a closed circle of the enclosure. People are standing around, admiring the greatness of the Kyrgyz hero. And the guide enthusiastically talks about his glory and past exploits. And Manas himself is already gray-haired, and Ak-Kula has dark stains around his eyes. I tried to open the gate of the corral, but, alas, my strength was not enough. And I, as always, called for help from my faithful and mighty friend - Great Russian language and sat down for the translation, or rather for the poetic translation of "Manas".

Historians have proved that the events of the legend took place in the Middle Ages of our era, so they had to abandon fantasy and fairytale hyperbole, from religious and other layers of Pan-Turkism and Pan-Islamism introduced by storytellers after the tragic events of 1916, when the Kyrgyz people found themselves between two great powers: Russia and China, suffered brutal genocide.

In 1856 Ch. Valikhanov called the epic "Manas" the steppe "Iliad". I consider the epic "Manas" - the Bible of mountains and steppes, and therefore tried to preserve and biblical motives, to clarify and generalize the parable thoughts of the Great Legend. To the best of his abilities, he strove to preserve the canonical plot of the epic, to build the logic of the behavior of the heroes and the development of events, to convey the figurative flavor of the Kyrgyz language.

The first, one might say, trial edition of my "Legend of Manas" was published in 2009 in a small print run and immediately went to the people. The Ministry of Science and Education recommended the book as an additional textbook on the Manas epic. In Russian academic theater them. Ch. Aitmatova performed a literary and dramatic production of the same name performed by Kyrgyz actors in Russian.

The second edition of "The Tale" is supplemented with a retrospective preface by Academician B. Yu. Yunusaliev, at the end of the book - a scientific summary by Professor G. N. Khlypenko. Undoubtedly, the works of famous Kyrgyz scientists will complement the knowledge of readers about the outstanding masterpiece of the Kyrgyz people.

I hope that the Russian text of "The Legend of Manas" will become the basis for the translation of the Kyrgyz epic into other languages ​​and our legendary batyr will rush along the equator of the globe.

Good journey to you, my valiant Manas!

Mar Baydzhiev.

Academician B. M. Yunusaliev

(1913–1970)

KYRGYZ HEROIC EPOS "MANAS"

The Kyrgyz people have the right to be proud of the wealth and diversity of oral poetry, the pinnacle of which is the epic "Manas". Unlike the epics of many other peoples, "Manas" is complex from beginning to end in verse, which once again testifies to the special respect of the Kyrgyz for the art of versification.

The epic consists of half a million lines of poetry and surpasses all known world epics in volume: twenty times the Iliad and the Odyssey, five times - Shahname, more than two times - Mahabharata.

The grandeur of the Manas epic is one of distinctive features epic creativity of the Kyrgyz. It is explained by a number of significant circumstances, and, above all, by the originality of the history of the people. Kyrgyz, being one of the ancient peoples Central Asia, throughout their centuries-old history, were attacked by the powerful conquerors of Asia: the Khitan (Kara-Kitai) at the end of the 10th century, the Mongols in the 13th century, the Dzungars (Kalmyks) in the 16th – 18th centuries. Many state associations fell under their blows and tribal unions, they exterminated entire nations, their names disappeared from the pages of history. Only the strength of resistance, perseverance and heroism could save the Kyrgyz from complete destruction. Each battle was replete with exploits. Courage and heroism became an object of worship, a theme of glorification. From here heroic character Kyrgyz epic poems and the epic "Manas".

As one of the most ancient Kyrgyz epics, "Manas" is the most complete and widespread artistic reflection of the centuries-old struggle of the Kyrgyz people for their independence, for justice and a happy life.

In the absence of a recorded history and written literature, the epic reflected the life of the Kyrgyz people, its ethnic composition, economy, life, customs, morals, aesthetic tastes, ethical standards, his judgments about human dignity and vices, ideas about nature, religious prejudices, language.

The epic, as the most popular work, gradually attracted independent fairy tales, legends, epics, and poems with similar ideological content. There is reason to assume that such episodes of the epic as "Wake for Koketei", "Story about Almambet" and others once existed as independent works.

Many Central Asian peoples have common epics: the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks - "Alpamysh", among the Kazakhs, Turkmens, Uzbeks, Tajiks - "Ker-Ogly", etc. "Manas" exists only among the Kyrgyz. Since the presence or absence of common epics is associated with the generality or absence of cultural, historical and geographical conditions during the period of the emergence and existence of epics, it can be concluded that the formation of the epic among the Kyrgyz took place in different geographical and historical conditions than in Central Asia. Events highlighting earliest periods the stories of the Kyrgyz people confirm this. So, in the epic, some specific traits ancient social formation - military democracy(equal rights of members of the squad in the distribution of trophies, the election of military leaders-khans, etc.).

Names of localities, names of peoples and tribes are archaic in nature, proper names of people. The structure of the verse of the epic is also archaic. By the way, the antiquity of the epic is confirmed in the historical information contained in "Majmu at-Tavarikh" - a written monument of the beginning of the 16th century, where the story of the heroic deeds of young Manas is considered in connection with the events of the second half of the 14th century.

The Kyrgyz people have the right to be proud of the wealth and diversity of oral poetry, the pinnacle of which is the epic "Manas". Unlike the epics of many other peoples, "Manas" is complex from beginning to end in verse, which once again testifies to the special respect of the Kyrgyz for the art of versification.

The epic consists of half a million lines of poetry and surpasses all known world epics in volume: twenty times the Iliad and the Odyssey, five times - Shahname, more than two times - Mahabharata.

The grandeur of the Manas epic is one of the distinctive features of the epic creativity of the Kyrgyz. It is explained by a number of significant circumstances, and, above all, by the originality of the history of the people. The Kyrgyz, being one of the most ancient peoples of Central Asia, throughout their centuries-old history were attacked by powerful conquerors of Asia: the Khitan (Kara-Kitai) at the end of the 10th century, the Mongols in the 13th century, the Dzungars (Kalmyks) in the 16th – 18th centuries. Under their blows, many state associations and tribal unions fell, they exterminated entire peoples, and their names disappeared from the pages of history. Only the strength of resistance, perseverance and heroism could save the Kyrgyz from complete destruction. Each battle was replete with exploits. Courage and heroism became an object of worship, a theme of glorification. Hence the heroic character of the Kyrgyz epic poems and the epic "Manas".

As one of the most ancient Kyrgyz epics, "Manas" is the most complete and widespread artistic reflection of the centuries-old struggle of the Kyrgyz people for their independence, for justice and a happy life.

In the absence of a recorded history and written literature, the epic reflected the life of the Kyrgyz people, its ethnic composition, economy, way of life, customs, mores, aesthetic tastes, ethical norms, its judgments about human dignity and vices, ideas about nature, religious prejudices, and language.

The epic, as the most popular work, gradually attracted independent fairy tales, legends, epics, and poems with similar ideological content. There is reason to assume that such episodes of the epic as "Wake for Koketei", "Story about Almambet" and others once existed as independent works.

Many Central Asian peoples have common epics: the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks - "Alpamysh", among the Kazakhs, Turkmens, Uzbeks, Tajiks - "Ker-Ogly", etc. "Manas" exists only among the Kyrgyz. Since the presence or absence of common epics is associated with the generality or absence of cultural, historical and geographical conditions during the period of the emergence and existence of epics, it can be concluded that the formation of the epic among the Kyrgyz took place in different geographical and historical conditions than in Central Asia. Events that tell about the most ancient periods of the history of the Kyrgyz people confirm this. Thus, the epic traces some characteristic features of an ancient social formation - military democracy (equality of squad members in the distribution of trophies, the election of military leaders-khans, etc.).

The names of localities, the names of peoples and tribes, the proper names of people are of archaic character. The structure of the verse of the epic is also archaic. By the way, the antiquity of the epic is confirmed in the historical information contained in "Majmu at-Tavarikh" - a written monument of the beginning of the 16th century, where the story of the heroic deeds of young Manas is considered in connection with the events of the second half of the 14th century.

It is possible that initially it was created and existed in the form of a small prosaic tale about the heroic deeds of people who heroically saved the people from extermination. Gradually, talented storytellers turned it into an epic song, which then, through the efforts of each generation, grew into great poem which includes new historical events, new characters, becoming more and more complicated in their plot structure.

The gradual development of the epic led to its cyclization. Each generation of heroes: Manas, his son Semetey, grandson Seytek - poems are dedicated to each other. The first part of the trilogy is dedicated to the legendary Manas - the central figure of the epic. It is based on real events from the earlier history of the Kyrgyz - from the period of military democracy to patriarchal-feudal society. The events described took place mainly in the territory from the Yenisei through Altai, Khangai to Central Asia. Therefore, we can say that the first part of the epic covers almost the entire centuries-old pre-Tien Shan history of the people.

It must be assumed that initially the epic existed without cyclization, but had a tragic ending - in the finale of the "Great March" almost all positive heroes perish in an unequal battle. The treacherous Konurbay mortally wounds Manas. But the listeners did not want to put up with such an ending. Then the second part of the poem was created, dedicated to the description of the life and deeds of the second generation of heroes - the son of Manas Semetey and his associates, who repeat the deeds of their fathers and achieve victory over foreign invaders.

The historical background of the poem "Semetey" corresponds approximately to the period of the Dzungar invasion (XVI-XVIII centuries). The action takes place within Central Asia. Favorite heroes also fall prey to injustice; however, the perpetrators of their death are not foreign invaders, but internal enemies - traitors, usurpers who have become despots of their people.

Life demanded a continuation of the struggle against internal enemies. The third part of the trilogy, the poem "Seytek", is dedicated to this. This is where the restoration of justice and freedom ends. It is precisely in this, in the lofty noble goal - the defense of the homeland from foreign invaders and the deliverance of the people from the yoke of despots - the main idea of ​​the Manas trilogy.

The first part of the trilogy - the poem "Manas" - begins with a description of the terrible national disaster resulting from the perfidious attack of the Chinese led by Alooke Khan on the country of the Kyrgyz. The people are dispersed by different countries light, ruined, plundered, endures all kinds of humiliation. At such a critical moment in the family of an elderly and childless Dzhakip, exiled from his native place to the distant Altai to hostile Kalmyks, an extraordinary child is born, who grows not by the years, but by the day, filling supernatural power... The rapidly spreading news of the birth of a hero horrified both the Kalmyks, who mocked the Kyrgyz in Altai, and the Chinese, who drove the Kyrgyz from their native land of Ala-Too. To deal with the future formidable enemy, the Chinese and Kalmyks make repeated attacks, but they are successfully repulsed by the squad of young Manas, who rallied around themselves loyal comrades-in-arms ("kyrk choro" - forty combatants). The invasion of the aggressors forces the Kyrgyz tribes to unite around the hero Manas, who is elected the leader of the 40-tribal Kyrgyz people.

The return of the Altai Kyrgyz to their homeland is associated with numerous wars, where the main role is assigned to the beloved hero - Manas.

The Kyrgyz again occupy their lands in the Tien Shan and Altai as a result of the victory over the troops of Tekes Khan, who was blocking the path from Altai to Ala-Too; Akhunbeshim Khan, who took possession of the Chui and Issyk-Kul valleys; Alooke Khan, who expelled the Kyrgyz from Ala-Too and Alai; Shooruk Khan is a native of Afghanistan. The most difficult and protracted war was the war against the Chinese troops led by Konurbay ("The Great March"), from where Manas returns mortally wounded.

The entire first part of the epic is a description of small and large wars (campaigns). Of course, there are also episodes in it that tell about a peaceful life.

The most peaceful, it would seem, should be the episode "The Marriage to Kanykei", however, here the heroic style of narration is strictly sustained. Manas arrives at the bride, accompanied by his squad. Manas' non-observance of the traditional custom when meeting with the bride causes feigned coldness on her part, and the groom's rudeness makes her inflict a wound on him. The bride's behavior drives Manas out of patience. He orders the vigilantes to attack the city, punish all its inhabitants, primarily the bride and her parents. The warriors are ready to attack. But the sage Bakai suggests that the vigilantes create only the appearance of an invasion.

The relatives of Manas, the kozkamans, do not care about the interests of the people. Blind envy pushes them to a crime: they arrange a conspiracy, poison Manas and seize power in Talas. Only the wise Kanykei was able to heal Manas. He restores order in Talas and punishes the intruders.

The heroic style is also strictly maintained in the episode "Wake for Koketei". Scenes of the arrival of khans of different peoples and tribes with their numerous troops at the commemoration correspond to this style; belt wrestling (kuresh) between the famous heroes Koshoy and Joloi, defending the honor of their people. In the jambu (ingot of gold) shooting tournament, which requires high skill of a warrior, Manas emerged victorious. The contest between Manas and Konurbay on the peaks was essentially a single combat between the leaders of the two hostile sides. The chagrin of the defeated Konurbay is boundless, and he secretly prepares his army to plunder the Kyrgyz.

At the end of the commemoration, the most interesting and popular sport is organized - horse racing. And here, despite the screens and obstacles arranged by Konurbay, the first to come to the finish line is Akula from Manas. Unable to bear the shame of defeat in all competitions, the Chinese and Kalmyks, led by Konurbay, Joloi and Alooke, rob the Kyrgyz and steal the herds.

The episode "The Long March" to the Chinese capital Beijin, in comparison with the episodes of other campaigns, is the largest in volume and the most valuable from an artistic point of view. Here the heroes find themselves in different conditions a long campaign and fierce battles, where their fortitude, loyalty, courage are tested, positive and negative character traits are exposed. Nature, its fauna and flora are colorfully represented; the episode is not devoid of fantasy and elements of mythology. The battle scenes are distinguished by the sharpness and perfection of the verse. The main characters are in the spotlight: Manas and his closest assistants - Almambet, Syrgak, Chubak, Bakai. Their due role is assigned to their war horses, fabulous weapons, but ultimately victory is on the side of those who have powerful physical strength. The opponents of Manas are no less strong, but they are insidious and treacherous, sometimes they take over in single combat. In the end, they are defeated. Beijin, the capital of the Chinese, has been conquered. According to S. Karalaev's version, the Kyrgyz achieved complete victory at the cost of the lives of many of the best heroes - Almambet, Syrgak, Chubak, and Manas himself returns seriously wounded to Talas, where he soon dies.

Semetey Kanykei, a widow with a baby, erects a mausoleum for her husband. This ends the first part of the epic. In it, from beginning to end, the heroic style is strictly maintained, which corresponds to the main idea of ​​the poem - the struggle for the unification of the Kyrgyz tribes, for their independence and freedom.

In the early stages of the development of society, in the era when the epic arose, wars were very destructive, therefore many peoples and tribes, quite numerous and strong, eventually completely disappeared. And if the Kyrgyz have survived as a people for more than two thousand years, despite constant clashes with the Uighurs, Chinese, Chingizkhan hordes, Dzungars, this is due to their solidarity, courage and love of freedom. The glorification of courage and courage in the struggle for freedom and independence was in keeping with the spirit of the people. This can explain the heroic pathos of the epic, its centuries-old existence, and its popularity.

The death of a beloved hero, the tragic end of the poem did not suit the audience. The legend had to be continued, especially since there was a reason for this: the main rival of Manas, the insidious instigator of all bloody clashes, Konurbay, escaped in the "Great March" by flight.

The beginning of the poem "Semetey" is tragic. Power is usurped by the envious relatives of Abyke and Köbesh, who destroy everything that reminds of Manas, care only about their own well-being, and rob the people. The fate of the surviving heroes of the first part of the trilogy is pitying: the sage Bakai is turned into a slave, Chyyrdy's grandmother, the mother of Manas, and Kanykei, disguised as beggars, run to Kanykei's parents, saving Semetey's life. He spent his childhood with his mother’s brother in the kingdom of Temir Khan, ignorant of his parents and homeland. Semetey's childhood years are less rich in exploits than Manas's childhood years, but he is strong enough, learns the art of fighting and winning. At the age of fourteen, the future hero learns about his parents and native people suffering under the yoke of usurpers.

Returning to Talas, Semetey, with the help of the people, deals with his opponents and takes power. He once again rallies the scattered tribes and establishes peace. There comes a little respite.

The envious people of Semetei: his distant relative Chinkojo and his friend Toltoi - decided to attack the capital of Akhun Khan in order to take possession of his beautiful daughter Aichurek, before whose birth the father and Manas declared themselves matchmakers. Enemies laid siege to the city, Akhun-khan was forced to ask for a two-month period to collect the bride. Meanwhile, Aichurek, having turned into a white swan, flies around all the countries of the world in search of a worthy bridegroom who would punish the rapists who brought suffering to the inhabitants of her city. From the heights of heaven, she examines the glorified heroes of all peoples and lands, evaluating each with a female observation. But there is no hero more beautiful and stronger than Semetey, there is no place on earth more picturesque than Talas. To captivate her lover, she kidnaps his beloved white gyrfalcon Akshumkar.

The description of the meeting of the bride and groom is replete with ethnographic details. The scenes of youth games are full of jokes, fervor and humor. However, to become spouses, love alone is not enough: you must defeat the rapist who demands the hand of Aichurek.

The long and stubborn struggle against the innumerable enemy army ends with the victory of Semetei. Again, feasts, games, and wedding ceremonies are held in front of the audience.

Semetey won the hand of the lovely Aichurek. A quiet, peaceful life began. But the ethical norms of the time require the new generation of heroes to take revenge on those who are guilty of the unjust death of their fathers.

Semetey's campaign to Beijin and the fight against the insidious Konurbay, who was also preparing to act against the Kyrgyz, in many ways resembles not only the storyline, but also in detail the “Great Campaign” from the first part of the trilogy. Neither the fabulous physical strength possessed by Semetey and his closest associate Kulchoro, nor magic - nothing could overcome the invulnerable Konurbai. In the end, the Chinese hero was defeated, succumbing to the cunning of Kulchoro.

After returning to Talas, Semetey himself, in the fight against the envious Kyyaz-khan, becomes a victim of treason on the part of Kanchoro, who harbored anger at him. Traitors become rulers. Aichurek was forcibly taken away by Kyaz Khan: shackled and sharing the fate of the slaves Kanykei, Bakai, Kulchoro.

Such a sad ending of the poem "Semetey" did not answer folk spirit, and over time, a third genealogical cycle was created - a poem about Seytek, the grandson of Manas. Her main theme is the struggle of heroes against internal enemies - traitors and despots who dishonestly seized power and ruthlessly oppressing the people.

In Talas, the Kyrgyz languish under the yoke of the traitor Kanchoro and yearn for liberation, and in another kingdom, in the country of Kyaz Khan, Seytek is born - the future hero of the poem. Clever Aichurek manages to cunningly save the child from Kyaz Khan's attempts to kill him. Growing up among the shepherds, Seytek learns about his ancestry, about his homeland, the fate of his parents and loyal friends. Seytek manages to cure the paralyzed hero Kulchoro. With him, he makes a trip to Talas and, with the support of the people, overthrows Kanchoro. So, the traitor and despot was punished, freedom was returned to the people, justice was triumphed.

It would seem that this should be the end of the epic. However, it has a different continuation for different storytellers.

S. Karalaev, from whom all three parts of the epic are recorded, the son of Dzhelmoguz attacks the Kyrgyz.

The narrator Sh. Rysmendeev, who also dictated all three parts of the epic to Talas, makes a campaign not the mythological Sary-bai, but quite real figure- the son of the famous Konurbay named Kuyaly. The plot diagram of each cycle outlined above is characteristic of all known versions of the epic and constitutes its main plot. However, comparing the options recorded from the words of different storytellers, it is easy to notice some thematic and plot differences.

So, only the narrator Sagymbay Orozbakov has Manas's campaigns to the North and the West, Chubak's pilgrimage to Mecca is only for Sayakbai Karalaev. Sometimes the well-known motive of the unification of the Kyrgyz tribes is replaced by the motive of the unification of the Turkic tribes.

In the epic "Manas" traces of the ancient Tengrian beliefs of the Kyrgyz can be traced. So, the main characters before the campaigns swear, worshiping heaven and earth.

Who will change the oath

Let the clear sky punish him

Let the earth punish him

Covered with vegetation.

Sometimes the subject of worship is combat weapon or fire:

Let the bullet punish Akkelte,

Let him punish the fuse of the fuse.

Of course, Islam also found its reflection, although the Islamization of the epic is, I must say, superficial, it is most noticeable in the motivation of actions. So, one of the main reasons for Almambet's departure from China was his acceptance of Islam.

Undoubtedly, Islamic motives were introduced into the epic "Manas" by the storytellers of the later centuries.

In any case, positive characters: Manas, Almambet, Bakai, Kanykey, Syrgak, Chubak, Semetey, Seytek, Kulchoro - are endowed with the traits of real heroes - unlimited devotion to their people, endurance, endurance, courage, resourcefulness, willingness to sacrifice their lives in the interests of their homeland. These immortal qualities of a patriot are manifested by heroes not in words, but in actions and actions in various situations, under the most tragic circumstances.

Heroic epic“Manas” is also dear to the fact that the events described in it have a real basis. They reflect the history of the formation of the Kyrgyz people from clans and tribes, as evidenced by the lines transmitted by the mouth of Manas:

I made a cow out of a white maral.

Made people out of mixed tribes.

The events that decided the fate of the Kyrgyz people were vividly reflected in the epic. The mysterious names of people found in it, the names of cities, countries, peoples reflect certain events of various stages in the history of the people. The central battle episode "The Great March" to Beijin reminds of the victory of the Kyrgyz in the 9th century. over the Uighurs with the capture of their cities, including Beitin (or Beizhen), returned back only at the end of the 10th century.

If we take into account the rethinking of events and names inherent in oral folklore, then the main enemies of the Kyrgyz people named in the epic by the Chinese or by the Kalmyks: Alooke, Dzholoy, Esenkhan are most likely the prototypes of real personalities whose names are found in the annals. For example, Esenkhan (in Kalmyk Esentaiji) led the Dzungarian (Kalmyk) army in the 15th century. Alyaku led the Dzungar invasion in the 17th century, and Blui (the initial Kyrgyz "j" corresponds to "e" in other Turkic languages) was the leader of the Khitan (Kara-Chinese) troops - tribes Mongolian origin, moving from Northern China and first defeating the Kyrgyz state at the end of the 10th century, and then conquering all of Central and Central Asia from the Yenisei to Talas in the 12th century.

In direct connection with the names of individuals, the names of the peoples who figure in the epic as invaders (China, Kalmak, Manchur) should also be considered. The bloody clashes with them have forever been preserved in the memory of the Kyrgyz.

On the other hand, many peoples and tribes were named with whom the Kyrgyz were on friendly terms and jointly opposed the invaders and oppressors. As allies in the epic, the oirots, epaulettes, noyguts, katagans, kypchaks, argyns, jedigers and others who entered later in ethnic groups Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Mongols, Tajiks.

It must be assumed that the positive characters of the epic also have their prototypes, the names of which the people carefully preserved in the epic, which replaced written literature and annals for many centuries. There are many fantastic characters in Manas: the giant Madykan, who moves mountains; the one-eyed Malgun, similar to the Cyclops in Homer's Odyssey, with only one weak spot - the pupil; sentinel animals; winged horses-tulpars, speaking in a human way. Many miracles take place here: the transformation of Aichurek into a swan, changing the weather at the request of Almambet, etc., hyperbolism is maintained: a myriad of troops can move without a halt for 40 days; as a kalym, hundreds of thousands of heads of cattle and, in addition to them, countless wild animals can be driven; one hero can cope with hundreds and even thousands of enemy soldiers, etc. However, fantasy and hyperbolism serve artistic means to create immortal images of real people who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of their people. The listeners of the epic find true pleasure not in its fantasy, but in the vitality and realism of the ideas and aspirations of the heroes.

Manas in the first part of the trilogy collective image... He is endowed with all the features of an ideal hero, the leader of the troops of the people's squad. All the compositional elements of the epic are subordinated to the outline of his image: the situation, motives, intrigues, etc. The names of the most powerful and terrible animals serve as epithets for him: arstan (lion), caban (leopard), syrttan (hyena), kyokjal (gray mane Wolf). Despite the later aspiration of the storytellers to give the image of Manas some features of a feudal ruler - the khan, in the main thematically and plot-related episodes he remains genuinely folk hero, deserving love and glory for bravery and courage in the fight against the enemies of the homeland. In all clashes with the enemy army, victory is ensured by the personal participation of Manas as an ordinary warrior-hero. The original Manas is not jealous of power, therefore, on the great campaign against Beijin, he passes the staff of the commander-in-chief to the sage Bakai, and then to the hero Almambet.

The secondary heroes in the epic serve, as it were, to enhance the image of the protagonist. The greatness of Manas is supported by his legendary companions - forty warriors ("kyrk choro"). The most famous of them are the wise elders-heroes Koshoy and Bakai, young people: Almambet, Chubak, Syrgak, etc. They are also distinguished by powerful physical strength and courage, welded together by friendship and mutual aid in battle. For each of them Manas is an ideal, honor and glory, his name serves as a battle cry for them.

Each of the heroes is endowed with certain qualities. Manas is the owner of incomparable physical strength, cold-blooded, a great strategist; Bakai is a sage and hero, the best advisor of Manas. Almambet is a Chinese by origin, an extraordinary hero, the owner of the secrets of nature. Syrgak is equal in strength to Almambet, brave, hardy, agile. The Manas squad "Kyrk Choro" is capable of striking any numerically superior enemy.

Characteristic negative characters also serves to exalt the protagonist. The image of Manas is opposed by the image of his main enemy - Konurbai, strong, but treacherous and envious. Jola is unsophisticated, but possesses inexhaustible strength.

The epic also contains unforgettable images of women. The wife of the protagonist, Kanykei, is especially charming. She is not only a mother who brings up honesty in her son, boundless love for the motherland, but also a selfless woman, ready to make sacrifices in the name of the interests of the people. She is a hard worker, a skilled craftswoman, under whose leadership women sewed impenetrable equipment for their warriors. She heals Manas from a mortal wound, saves him when he, wounded by a traitor, was left alone on the battlefield. She is a wise counselor of Manas.

The character of the heroes of the first and second generations has a lot in common. The image of Semetey as a hero in comparison with the image of Manas is less colorful, but his love for the Motherland, patriotism is recreated very colorfully. Here are the experiences of a young man separated from his people, and his struggle with foreign invaders, and mortal battles with traitors to the homeland. In "Semetey" the image of Chyyrda's grandmother - the mother of Manas, the image of the elder-sage Bakai continues to develop. At the same time, new types of heroes appear. Aichurek with her romanticism and patriotism opposes Chachykei - an ambitious traitor. The image of Kulchoro is in many ways reminiscent of the image of his father Almambet. Kulchoro is opposed to the touchy and selfish Kanchoro, who becomes a traitor and a traitor. At the end of the second and the beginning of the third poem, he appears as a usurper, despot, ruthless oppressor of the people. In the poem "Seytek" the image of Kulchoro reminds us of the familiar image of the sage Bakai: he is both a powerful hero and a wise advisor of Seytek.

The protagonist of the third part of the trilogy - Seytek acts as a defender of the people from oppressors and despots, a fighter for justice. He seeks the unification of the Kyrgyz tribes, with his help a peaceful life begins.

At the end of the poem, the favorite heroes of the epic: Bakai, Kanykei, Semetey, Aichurek and Kulchoro - say goodbye to people and become invisible. Together with them disappear the white gyrfalcon Akshumkar beloved by Manas, the dog Kumayik, the tireless horse of Semetey - Titoru. In this regard, there is a legend among the people that they all still live, wander the earth, sometimes show themselves to the chosen ones, recalling the exploits of the fabulous heroes Manas and Semetey. This legend is a poetic embodiment of the people's belief in the immortality of the beloved characters of the Manas epic.

The poetic techniques of the epic correspond to the heroic content and scale of its volume. Each episode, often representing a thematic and plot-based independent poem, is subdivided into chapters-songs. At the beginning of the chapter, we are dealing with a kind of introduction, a prelude of a semi-prosaic and recitative form (zhorgo seuse), where an alliteration or final rhyme is observed, but without the size of the verse. Gradually, jhorgo séuse turns into a rhythmic verse, the number of syllables of which ranges from seven to nine, corresponding to the rhythm and melodious music characteristic of the epic. Each line, regardless of the fluctuation in the number of verses, falls into two rhythmic groups, each of which has its own musical stress, which does not coincide with the expiratory stress. The first musical stress falls on the second syllable from the end of the first rhythmic group, and the second on the first syllable of the second rhythmic group. This placement gives a strict poetic symmetry to the entire poem. The rhythm of the verse is supported by the final rhyme, which can sometimes be replaced by the initial euphony - alliteration or assonance. Alliteration or assonance often accompanies rhymes. Sometimes we have a combination of all types of euphony, rarely observed in versification, along with the final rhyme, external and internal alliteration:

Kanatyn kaira kakkylap,

Kuirugun kumga chapkylap ...

The stanza has a different number of verses, most often it is found in the form of a one-rhyme long tirade, which provides the narrator of a grandiose work with the required pace of performance. Other forms of organization of the verse structure (redif, anaphora, epiphora, etc.) are also used in the epic. When creating images, various artistic techniques... Heroes are drawn dynamically in direct actions, in struggle, in clashes with enemies.

Pictures of nature, meetings, battles, psychological condition characters are conveyed mainly through storytelling and serve additional tool for portrait characteristics.

A favorite technique for creating portraits is antithesis with a wide use of epithets, including permanent ones. For example: "kan zhyttangan" - smelled of blood (Konurbay), "dan zhyttangan" - smelled of grain (to Joloi, a hint of his gluttony); "Kapilette seoz tapkan, karatsgyda koz tapkan" (to Bakai) - seeing in the dark, finding a way out in a hopeless situation.

As for the style, along with the dominant heroic tone of presentation, there is a lyrical description of nature, and in the poem "Semetey" - and love romance.

Depending on the content, they are used in the epic and widespread folk genre forms: kerez (testament) at the beginning of the episode "Commemoration for Koketei", arman (song-complaint about fate) Almambet in a discord with Chubak in "The Great Campaign", sanat - a song of philosophical content, etc.

Hyperbole prevails as a means of depicting heroes and their actions. Hyperbolic dimensions are superior to all known epic devices. Here we are dealing with an extremely fabulous exaggeration.

The wide and always appropriate use of epithets, comparisons, metaphors, aphorisms and other expressive means of influence captivates the listener of "Manas" even more.

Poem language available modern generation, since the epic lived on the lips of every generation. Its performers, being representatives of a certain dialect, performed before the people in a dialect that they could understand.

Despite this, there is a lot of archaic in the vocabulary, which can serve as material for the restoration of ancient toponymy, ethnonymy and onomastics of the Kyrgyz people. The lexicon of the epic reflected various changes in the cultural, economic and political relations of the Kyrgyz with other peoples. In it you can find many words of Iranian and Arabic origin, words common to the languages ​​of the Central Asian peoples. The influence of the book language is also noticeable, especially in the version of Sagymbay Orozbakov, who was literate and showed a special interest in book information. The vocabulary of "Manas" is not devoid of neologisms and Russisms. For example: a mammoth from the Russian "mammoth", ileker from the Russian "doctor", zumrut from the Russian "emerald", etc. At the same time, each storyteller retains the peculiarities of his dialect.

The syntactic features of the epic language are associated with the grandeur of its volume. To enhance the pace of presentation of poetic material as stylistic device long phrases are widely used with strung participles, adverbial and introductory sentences, sometimes in an unusual combination. Such a sentence can consist of three or more dozen lines. In the text of the epic, there are individual violations of grammatical connection (anakoluf) characteristic of large-volume oral works, caused by the need to preserve the size of the verse or rhyme.

In general, the language of the epic is expressive and imaginative, rich in nuances, because the best talents of folk literature of previous eras worked on polishing it. The epic "Manas", as the largest monument that has absorbed all the best and most valuable from the verbal and speech culture of the people, has played and plays an invaluable role in the formation of the national language, in the convergence of its dialects, in the refinement of grammatical norms, in the enrichment of vocabulary and phraseology the nationwide Kyrgyz literary language.

The historical and cultural significance of the Manas epic lies in the fact that over the centuries it had a significant influence on the formation of aesthetic tastes and the national character of the Kyrgyz people. The epic instills in listeners (readers) a love for everything beautiful, sublime, a taste for art, poetry, music, beauty human spirit, hard work, heroism, courage, patriotism, loyalty to a friend, love for real life, the beauty of nature. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the epic "Manas" serves as a source of inspiration for the masters of the Kyrgyz Soviet art in the creation of works of art.

Favorite images: Manas, Kanykey, Bakai, Almambet, Semetey, Kulchoro, Aichurek, Seytek and others are immortal primarily because they have such high moral qualities as boundless love for the homeland, honesty, courage, hatred of invaders and traitors. The heroic epic "Manas" thanks to its high artistry deservedly takes its rightful place on the shelf of world masterpieces of oral folk art.

1958 year.

(Translated from Kyrgyz)

The epic "Manas" is a heroic story based on the legends of the Kyrgyz people, which were passed down from generation to generation.

Brief description of the epic

The main storyline of the epic is the struggle of the Kyrgyz for independence from external invaders. Manas describes semi-real events that took place in the history of the Kyrgyz people.

Epic "Manas" has become a harmonious symbiosis historical facts and mythological beliefs of the inhabitants of Kyrgyzstan. Thanks to this monumental folklore work, we have an idea of ​​the life, way of life, traditions and customs of the Kyrgyz in ancient times.

For example, it is very vividly described in "Manas" that in a moment of acute danger from the invaders, women abandoned their economic affairs and, along with men, heroically defended their homeland.

History of the epic

For many centuries, the epic was passed from mouth to mouth by storytellers, people who, bit by bit, collected and supplemented it. It should be noted that due to the colossal volumes, the epic was transmitted only in certain blocks.

This led to the fact that in our time the epic exists in more than 35 variations, each of which has differences. The central hero, after whom the epic was named, is the hero Manas, in whose image all the ideas of the people about heroism and courage are combined.

The epic begins with the story of the birth of the life of the hero Manas. Even during his youth, Manas, together with his father, participated in a heroic confrontation with the Chinese and Kalmyks, for which he received the respect and love of his people.

After Saint Khyzr appeared to the hero, he decided to convert to Islam, and together with his family moved to live in the vastness of Central Asia. The second part of the epic describes the events that happened to the Kyrgyz people during the time when Manas lived in other lands.

The cruel Chinese invaded their lands and imprisoned the friends of the protagonist, the same courageous heroes and warriors. Manas learns about the events taking place in his homeland and returns to protect his people. After a heroic war with the Chinese, and then with the Afghan khan, Manas leaves with the hermit, who helps him learn the highest life wisdom.

This part describes the marriage of Manas, the birth of his children. In the third part Manas dies, the reader learns the details of his funeral: the Kyrgyz people, as a token of gratitude, built a tomb for Manas, decorated with precious stones and metals.

However, along with the death of the hero, his heroism is reflected in the courageous deeds of his children and grandchildren, who became worthy successors of Manas.