Qiakeqiake
01 · Historical Records
The Uyghur chakchak, translated into Chinese as joke, arises from the life customs of the Uyghur people and is a form of Uyghur folk oral satirical literature, mostly told for fun at meshrep, festive weddings, gatherings of friends, chats and festivals and holidays. The Uyghur folk oral literature was already recorded in Chinese, Sanskrit and Old Turkic historical documents; research holds that the latipe, humorous story, began to appear in the Uyghur folk literary world about the tenth century. In the twelfth century there appeared among the Uyghur a folk teller of chakchak of very great influence, Nasreddin Afanti, now translated into Chinese as The Stories of Afanti, which in content is actually The Jokes of Afanti; because the translator then used the word stories, it has been used to this day. Ishame was born in Ili, Xinjiang, in 1930, and under his impetus chakchak again reached a climax.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The content of the jokes touches every aspect of life, in most cases improvised by the teller according to the occasion. The performance falls mainly into two forms: first the traditional latipe, meaning humorous story, in which one teller tells the audience a short and pithy humorous story; second the verbal duel between tellers, attaining laughter through various artistic means. The content of the jokes touches every aspect of life. He had very great influence in Xinjiang, in China and even in Central Asia and the world. Thereafter outstanding jokesters appeared one after another in Uyghur history, such as Meshrep Rehmba and Mulla Sayiding. Their jokes truly reflect the psychological quality and national characteristics of the Uyghur people and inherit the traditional form of the Afanti stories, being called the living Afanti. The content of the jokes touches every aspect of life, most often improvised according to the occasion; the performance falls mainly into the traditional latipe and the verbal duel between tellers.
Latipe (Humorous Story)
One of the traditional forms of performance of chakchak.
The Verbal Duel Between Tellers
The other form of performance of chakchak, attaining laughter through various artistic means.
The Jokes of Ishame
Four Uyghur volumes and five Chinese volumes by Heisamuding Kurwan.
Joking at the Meshrep
One of the main occasions of chakchak telling.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Chakchak circulates mainly in the Yining area of Xinjiang.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Now another outstanding jokester, Ishame Kurban, has appeared in Ili, Xinjiang. Chakchak is a rare living folk oral literature in China and also important material for studying anthropology, ethnology and folklore; it is an important factor in the Uyghur national cultural identity and plays a positive role in advancing the building of socialism. Ishame is advanced in years and has few successors, and it urgently needs protection.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Heisamuding Kuerwan 04-1508
- Ahemaitijiang Yusufu 05-2023
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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