Umesiben Mama : A Study of a Shamanic Epic of Northern China

Shuyun, Guo

Paths International Ltd（2019/04発売）

• 製本 Hardcover:ハードカバー版／ページ数 400 p.
• 言語 ENG
• 商品コード 9781844644889
• DDC分類 894.1

Full Description

Umesiben Mama is an ancient heroic epic of the East Sea Jurchen ancestors of the Manchu, an ethnic minority in Northern China. It was originally written in verse in the Manchu language, and it was popular around the basin of the Ussuri River. It describes the merits and great undertakings of a heroine named Umesiben, a female Jurchen shaman. It depicts war scenes in chant verse of over 6,000 lines and 63,500 words. The author has systematically investigated and analyzed its epic features, artistic characteristics, and literary value for the first time from the perspectives of tribal community, shamanistic culture, and the fishing and hunting culture of the East Sea Jurchen.

Until now Umesiben Mama is the first and only epic of the Manchu and this book is the English version of the only Chinese work currently focused on research of this epic. In previous studies of Chinese epics scholars focused on Gesar, Jangar, Manas, and epics of ethnic minorities in Southern China. Compared with those studies, the present book has two features: on the one hand, it interprets Umesiben Mama in the context of the specific history and culture of the Manchu and their Jurchen ancestors to bring to light the natural environment, customs and practices of the East Sea Jurchen as depicted in the epic. On the other hand, the book attaches great importance to interdisciplinary perspectives and methodology, including poetry, history, linguistics, literature, and religion. Moreover, the book will be an important addition to scholarly studies of Chinese literature, history, and culture in English.

Contents

Chapter 1: The Genre and Traits of Umesiben Mama
Chapter 2: The Inheritance of Umesiben Mama
Chapter 3: Historical-Cultural Origins of Umesiben Mama and Donghai Jurchen People
Chapter 4: Umesiben Mama and Tribal Society
Chapter 5: Umesiben Mama and the Shaman
Chapter 6: Umesiben Mama and Shamanic Culture
Chapter 7: Umesiben Mama and Fishing and Hunting Culture
Chapter 8: Umesiben Mama and Sea Navigation
Chapter 9: Literary Interpretation of Umesiben Mama