Keerqinchaoer Epic
01 · Historical Records
The Horqin chuur epic is a local traditional form of performing the Mongol epic, accompanied by the bowed instrument the chuur and narrated and sung by the special epic artist the chuurqi in self-accompanied singing, telling of the heavenly god reborn on earth as a khan and hero fighting the demon Mangus who harms the human world. The Horqin chuur epic was once thought by scholarship to have lost its living transmission; in 2005 it was discovered that transmitters still existed, with as many as twenty or more pieces.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Horqin chuur epic is accompanied by the bowed instrument the chuur and performed by the special epic artist the chuurqi in self-accompanied narration and singing, telling of the heavenly god reborn on earth as a khan and hero fighting the demon Mangus who harms the human world to defend the homeland and peace. Its musical tunes form a system of their own, nine sets and more than twenty kinds, freely varied in performance. The repertoire of the Horqin chuur epic numbers several dozen, among which the eighteen Mangusin Ulger is a large serial epic made up of eighteen relatively independent yet mutually related epics, considerable in scale. It circulates in the Tongliao and Hinggan league area of eastern Inner Mongolia.
The Eighteen Mangusin Ulger
A serial epic made up of eighteen relatively independent yet mutually related epics.
Nine Sets and More Than Twenty Kinds of Tune
The musical tunes of the Horqin chuur epic, which form a system of their own.
Chuurqi
The special artist performing the epic in self-accompanied singing.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Horqin chuur epic is current in the Tongliao city and Hinggan league area of eastern Inner Mongolia and is a local traditional form of performing the Mongol epic, closely bound up with the production, life and beliefs of the Horqin Mongols.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The Horqin chuur epic has important documentary value for studying the culture and art, national history and national psychology of the Mongols and is an important vehicle for transmitting the excellent spiritual and cultural tradition of the Mongol forebears. With social and cultural change the epic art has tended to decline, and the Horqin chuur epic was once thought by scholarship to have lost its living transmission; the discovery in 2005 that transmitters still existed, with as many as twenty or more pieces, is of very great significance for the protection, transmission and study of the Mongol epic. Salvaging the Horqin chuur epic brooks no delay and all quarters of society must take further measures to protect it actively.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript; it mirrors the bilingual dossier. 阅读中文版，或返回 英文名录。