Preface by Lang Ying
Preface by Mark Bender
Translator’s Foreword
Profile of the Author
Introduction
Introduction toA Study ofthe KirgizEpicManas by Lang Ying
Part One The Oral Tradition as a Living Form
Chapter One Introduction
Ⅰ.The Features ofthe Heroic Epics inNorthern China
Ⅱ.The Transmission ofManas and Its Main Characteristics
Chapter Two Manas and the Life of the Kirgiz Ethnic Group
Ⅰ. The Historical Background of the Epic M anas
Ⅱ.The Social Life of the Kirgiz After the W estward Migration in M anas
Ⅲ.Traditional Customs Reflected in Manas
Ⅳ.Manas—The Soul of the Kirgiz Ethnic Group
Chapter Three The Formative Age of Manas
Ⅰ.The N otion of “the Formative Age of an Epic
Ⅱ.Several Views on the Formative Age of Manas
Ⅲ .The Analysis of the Formative Age of Manas
Ⅳ."Kitay"and"Beijing"in Manas
Chapter Four Variations of Manas
Ⅰ.The Incremental Development of Manas
Ⅱ.“school of Tianshan”and‘‘School of Pamir
Ⅲ.Variations ofManas
Ⅳ.Acmparison cIftheVersions。fJtistip Mamay and Eshmat Manbetistip
Chapter Five Manaschis: The Inheritors and Transmitters of Manas
Ⅰ.Manaschis and the Dissemination of Manas
Ⅱ．Manaschis，Participation in the Creation of Manas
Ⅲ.Famous Chinese Manaschis
Chapter Six Audiences_The Life of Manas
Ⅰ.Audiences as the Main Agent in the Dissemination of Oral Epis
Ⅱ.The Audienc Active R n the Diseinatin,Develp ent and Variations of Manas
Ⅲ..Cultural and Psychological Qualities of the Audience of Manas
Ⅳ.The Reception, Effect and Influence of Manas
Part Two Text and Literary Qualities
Chapter Seven The Characters of Manas
Ⅰ.The Hero Manas
Ⅱ.Semetey:The Son of Manas
Ⅲ.Seytek, Kenenim and Seyit: The Grandchildren of Manas
Ⅳ.The Khagans and Warriors of Manas
Ⅴ.The Images of Women in Manas
Chapter Eight The Aesthetic Features of Manas
Ⅰ.The Tragic Beauty of Manas
Ⅱ.The Sublime Beauty of Manas
Chapter Nine The Narrative Structure of M anas
Ⅰ.Narrative Time and Narrative Mode
Ⅱ.Narrative Perspectives
Ⅲ.Narrative Structure and Patterns
Ⅳ.Narrative Language
Ⅴ.Narrative Strategies
