Mongolian literature

Mongolian literature is used as a term for literature that is mainly written in the uiguromongolischen font.

The oldest surviving witness is the " Secret History of the Mongols " ( 1227/64 ), a depiction of the rise of Genghis Khan. Besides epics that are even today carry forward of rhapsodies, the Mongolian literature is replete with ritualistic and shamanistic influenced Zeremonialdichtung to blessings and speeches, proverbs, riddles, proverbs and songs.

Much of the early Mongolian literature is characterized by the Indo- Tibetan and Buddhist processing motifs and is anonymous.

• 4.1 story books and novels
• 4.2 Poetry

History

In 1990, the year of social upheaval in Mongolia, the 750th anniversary of the " Secret History " was thought this was a signal of national reflection and also a sign of hope for a free democratic development of the country. Even if the general public probably less the first great work of written Mongolian literature and more the person associated with the Chinggis Chaans " big time " of the Mongols was called into the national memory, which could be aware of Mongolia and its people interested in culture, what a long literary tradition has the nomadic people in the heart of Asia.

The award also translated into German Secret History of the Mongols, the most important work of the ancient Mongolian literature has both a historical document and as a linguistic and literary monument extraordinary importance. This epic prose and rhymed chronicle shows that not only established since the late 16th century, penetrating into northern Mongolia ( Tibetan ) of Buddhism, Lamaism, a written Mongolian literature. They, too, but does not obscure the fact that the Mongols have a rich, at least eight hundred years of oral literature tradition. Some of it is already found in the " Secret History ", but most of these still alive today works were recorded much later, often only by Mongolian and foreign scholars in the 20th century.

The oral folk poetry was handed down over the centuries, as the storyteller and rhapsodists wandered from Ail to Ail and were the shepherds always welcome. Even the old genres of Zeremonialdichtung as in the " original religion ", shamanism, well maintained and in most cases little different form than praise ( Magtaal ), blessing ( Jerööl ) or curse ( Charaal ) were effective up to the present, members of this life.

From 1200 to the beginning of the 20th century

Already in the 13th and 14th centuries, the time of the Mongol empire, epic, didactic and lyric texts are known, some later Input in Chronicles ( Towtsch ) found. With the " triumph of Lamaism " and the conquest of Mongolia by the Manchus in the 17th century, an extensive religious literature developed. The translation of the Buddhist canon and noncanonical writings also numerous, especially from Tibetan encouraged to ideational change of folk narrative literature ( tales, legends, fables ). In addition to religious texts such as the Holy Biographies ( Namtar ) and particularly didactic poems ( Surgaal ) was a rich, imaginative, quirky fiction, which includes especially the descent into hell stories. Besides the folk song remained alive, which was later often to change song transformed (as a pre-form of theater play) with socially critical and patriotic national trend. This critical thought is also found in picaresque stories and farces of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

Above all, the heroic songs among the people remained alive, because they were the human "memory" of a great time. They gave support in a two century long era of national oppression. Among the numerous epics the different levels of Gezer and the Dschanggar protrude who enjoy to this day in various forms in all the Mongolian peoples great popularity and next to the " Secret History " and the folk poetry be included among the " four pillars" of the ancient Mongolian literature.

Since the 17th century the monasteries and no longer the princely courts were centers of intellectual life and a written literature. This was mainly written in Tibetan, as in Europe long was the Latin language of the clergy and scholars. Very few, including some chroniclers used the Mongolian written language, most authors were high cleric.

First published during the 19th century with the gradual secularization of society poet who belonged to the civil service and even the great mass of mostly illiterate herdsmen. In a period of escalating social conflicts poet personalities emerged from their anonymity, and some of them showed its own distinctive profile. First here is to call Dulduityn Rawdschaa (1803-1856), who came from the poorest strata of the population and early as the reincarnation of an important Lamaist saints of the "old" ( unreformed ) direction of Lamaism was detected. Also by him are preserved in Tibetan numerous didactic poems, but show the data written in Mongolian songs not only his close ties with the common people, they also enriched the sensation and experience poetry and had a lasting impact today. ( Ights " - - ) literature (including Chuultsch Sandag ) - In this time, the " Ug " developed in monological Versdichtungen bring mostly animals the ideas of people critical to the expression. In direct contact with the Chinese culture, the Mongolian novel, which is Wantschinbalyn Indschinasch (1837-1892) founded and represents arose. In addition to these " new " genres, the didactic poetry ( Surgaal ) changed to sharp social criticism, which is reflected in Namdschildordschiin Danzanwandschil ( 1854-1907 ) and Rawdschaagiin Chischigbat ( 1849-1916 ). Also the reality content of such traditional genres such as praise ( Magtaal ) and blessing ( Jerööl ) deepened. Examples of this are the works of Bawuugiin Gelegbalsan (1846-1923), a poor pastoralists whose Jerööl found widespread use.

From 1921 to today

The social upheavals of the early 20th century, the overthrow of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China and the proclamation of autonomy in Outer Mongolia (1911 ), but especially the consequences of the October Revolution in Russia, the Mongols opened the " doors to the world. " 1920, the Chinese in 1921 expelled the white Guard troops under the Baltic Baron von Ungern- Sternberg, and 1924, the Mongolian People's Republic was proclaimed. This was the " late" Nationenwerdung the Mongols - completed - albeit only in the center of their settlement area.

For the dependence on the Soviet Union there was for the newly established state, which was in 1945 recognized by China, not a real alternative. Among the positive aspects of development must be called in addition to the establishment of a social and health care, especially the gradual overcoming of illiteracy, ie the establishment of a school and university system. Young intellectuals gathered in intellectual exchange with the world culture new experiences. For the pioneers of a "modern" Mongolian literature, the influence of Russian poetry and through this also the western literature became decisive. The increasing realism of content especially later -born writers is reflected in a growing variety of genres, means of expression and literary techniques, even if the reception of works of Western " modernity" long remained largely ignored. Above all, the best works of Daschdordschiin Natsagdordsch (1906-1937) from the early 1930s attest to the successful fusion of traditional motifs and forms with those of the newly "discovered" Western literatures. In addition, is Tsendiin Damdinsiiren (1903-1986), later the leading literary scholars of the country, to name with the story " The spurned girl " (1929 ), the first work of modern Mongolian prose.

The Stalinist " purges " in Mongolia stifled for the time being these hopeful beginnings of a new spiritual culture. Especially the years of the reign Choibalsan, the governor of Moscow ( 1937/38-1952 ), were marked by terror against the Lamas (most monasteries were destroyed ) and the Buryats, but also against many officials and young intellectuals, often for a national democratic development had occurred. ( You are the number of victims at about 30 000 added many who were sentenced to long prison terms. ) Few of the incurred in this dark era literary works have to date inventory. In 1941, Mongolia made ​​in the fight against Nazi Germany and its allies to side with the Soviet Union. Thus reinforced by picking up on patriotic themes traits of a human image, as they were handed down from feudal times. Just following on the heroic epic were types, not portrayed characters, won the "good" over "evil ". The Artistic been put after the political- educational approach of the literature, which was based on a " theory of Konfliktlosigkeit " and showed more frequent in black and white painting and clichéd view of FIGS. The collectivist view of life, with its neglect of the individual was officially claimed and worked long after. However, the best authors succeeded in increasing - since the 1950s, but especially the 1970s - to create or find their own language because of their literary talent and world view, to break through the dogmas of " socialist realism " and full of life, individual characters. This development was parallel to that in the Asian Soviet republics, such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan the ( Aitmatov ). Despite censorship is hardly comparable to the repression, which the writers were exposed during this period in the People's Republic of China or North Korea, which is why the artistic content of the best literary works of Mongolian authors was often greater than that in this unequal populous countries.

After numerous works were mainly translated into Russian, took the international influence of the Mongolian literature in the last forty years - with the exception of poetry, which was often regarded as a non- transferable - considerably. Must be mentioned here, especially Bjambyn Rinchen (1905-1977), Donrowyn Namdag (1911-1984), Tschadraabalyn Lodoidamba (1917-1970), Begdsiin Jawuuchulan (1929-1982), Sengiin Erdene (1929-2000), Dembeegiin Mjagmar (1931 -1998 ), Dendewiin Pürewdordsch (* 1933) and Lodongiin Tüdew (* 1935). This narrator, poet or playwright were often caught between recognition ( eg, they all received the State Prize ) and partly hard official criticism. As a dramatist apply Tschoidschamzyn Oidow (1917-1963), who likes drew on folkloric motifs, D. and D. Namdag Mjagmar. In many cases, only in the eighties of the last century succeeded, others, and mostly younger writers to create works that are characterized by psychological and intellectual penetration of literary figures - a relatively new phenomenon in Mongolian literature. Among the prose writers here are mainly Sonomyn Udwal (1921 - 1991), the most famous Mongolian writer, Sormuunirschiin Daschdoorow (1935-1999) and Dordschiin Garmaa ( * 1937 ) should be mentioned.

Reached a high level especially the very popular among the Mongols poetry, such as the creation of the only dissident under the Mongolian writers, Rentschinii Tschoinom (1936-1979), and the other poets of his generation as Mischigiin Tsedendordsch (1932-1982), Njambuugiin Njamdordsch ( 1934-1996), turn S. Dachdoorow and Scharawyn Sürendschaw (* 1938) testifies. Here may be mentioned especially Bawuugiin Lchagwasüren (* 1944), who found after the political " revolution" of 1990 great recognition. After 1980, increasingly they also appeared young writers who found their domain in the lyrics and they have enriched with new perspectives.

After it had come in the second half of the 1980s under the influence of the "new thinking" to the first taboos ( here are for the prose especially Erdene, Mjagmar and Tüdew called ), many hoped writers - who were the state usually give loyal - with the victory of the democracy movement to full artistic freedom. But very soon the full force of the laws of the market showed: Literary inferior appeared, traditional humanistic values ​​fell, government publications were no longer encouraged. ( An example of this is the 1994 year set the appearance of the literary magazine "Retired ", which was compared to the population at the highest circulation in the world. ) Meanwhile the material situation of writers has improved again, and it did not occur a few notable works of literature that are characterized by high ethical standards, critical tendency and cosmopolitanism. From the "younger" writers, whose works were full recognition of partially only in the last twenty years, only the poet Damdinsürengiin Uriankhai are (* 1940), Dandsangiin Njamsüren ( 1945-2002 ), Otschirbatyn Daschbalbar ( 1957-1999 ), Baataryn Galsansüch (* 1972) and the narrator Darmaagiin Batbajar ( * 1941, also a playwright ), Sandschiin Pürew (* 1941), Baldschiryn Dogmid (* 1945), Dalchaagiin Norov (* 1951), Dambyn Törbat (* 1955), Sandschaadschawyn Dschargalsaichan (* 1958, also playwright ), Pürewdschawyn Bajarsaichan (* 1959) and Dordschzowdyn Enkhbold (* 1959) called. The only writer of Mongolia, whose books were published in German-speaking countries after 1990, until today Galsan Tschinag (* 1943), who writes mainly in German language. In his home as a writer less known than in the West, part of his extensive body of work rather than to the German- Mongolian literature.