Mongolian Epic: From Formula to Metaphor

Author: Sainbayar
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: The Mongolian Epic: From Formula to Metaphor, as its name suggests, is a study of the textual composition and metaphorical meanings of Mongolian epics. From formula to metaphor, it is dynamic, representing the process by which epic texts generate and acquire meaning through interaction with cultural contexts. This process involves three levels: text, meaning, and context, all of which are indispensable. The text is a carrier of meaning, with its own compositional mechanisms, but its meaning is determined by the context. Moreover, even the's (epic singer's) use of these compositional mechanisms is constrained by traditional contexts. Therefore, this research places Mongolian epic texts within their traditional cultural background, examining them from a traditional perspective to reveal their formulaic operational mechanisms in creation and transmission, as well as the process by which they acquire multiple meanings through their close connection with every aspect of traditional culture. From the perspective of the text, the context is reflected upon, explaining and validating the deep constraints of tradition on the creation, performance, and reception of Mongolian epics, and revealing the significance of the epic cultural context that surrounds epic performances.
Facing the vast tradition of Mongolian epics, this study selects six epic texts of Naran Khabulen (A Man of Great Valor), in both domestic and foreign regions of the Oirat Mongols, as analytical examples. It first explores the formulaic operational process in the composition of Mongolian epic texts. There are three levels here: formula, motif (element), and theme. The themes and their sequences in an epic tend to maintain a high degree of consistency across multiple texts. Within themes, there are also multiple relatively stable structural patterns, composed of a series of motifs (elements) arranged in a regular manner. These motifs (elements) also have their own specific patterns, but within the same theme across multiple texts of an epic, the number and arrangement of motifs (elements) vary. Formulae in the tradition of Mongolian epics exhibit stability in transmission but appear quite free in multiple texts of an epic (with the exception of specific formulae for characters and horses). The tendencies of stability and freedom in these three levels are directly related to the constraints of traditional contexts on the singing activities of epic singers. This constraint originates from the depths of tradition, and its power is fully realized through various taboos and rituals intertwined with myths and beliefs.
Mongolian epics possess a dual or even multiple-layered meaning structure, consisting of surface meaning and deep meaning. On the surface, the narrative of epics often defies secular logic, reason, or even appears contradictory and puzzling. The interpretation of these contradictory narratives gives rise to an analysis of the metaphorical structure of epics, allowing this book to delve from the textual structure into the traditional meaning behind the text. The characters, actions, motifs, and narrated events in epics all carry metaphorical meanings. Unlike conventional metaphor in everyday language or metaphor in written literature, epic metaphor relies closely on the formulaic characteristics of oral epic for its creation and transmission, based on motif metaphor, myth metaphor, and character title metaphor.
This book employs structuralist and cognitive metaphor theories to analyze the metaphorical correspondences derived from the connection between Mongolian culture and the meanings of Mongolian epic motifs. It explores how these correspondences dominate the deep meaning structure of epics. At the end of the book, the author introduces an epic work about Genghis Khan that is integrated with the Geser epic, based on field research. This oral narrative, preserved by the Mongolian Oirat people, has a clear historical foundation and distinct epic characteristics, preserving 800 years of historical memory. It is compared with Mongolian historical records from 800 years ago, 400 years ago, and a Tuvan oral epic. This comparison confirms that the epic was created based on historical facts and, during its transmission, provided historical records and narrative models for Mongolian historical documents across generations, while maintaining its oral tradition among various ethnic groups.
In the comparison, it is also discovered how different texts strive to preserve historical memory, and this effort is concentrated in the treatment of core plots. From this perspective, we uncover the genuine essence of the traditional context of Mongolian epic traditions. This is a study of the relationship between Mongolian epics and Mongolian historical documents. As far as this type of research is concerned, our work has just begun.