(A close look at China) The thousand-year-old heroic epic "Manas", why did Xi Jinping pay attention to his trip to Xinjiang again?
China News Agency, Beijing, July 16 (Reporter Liang Xiaohui) On the morning of the 13th, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, who inspected Xinjiang, watched a special rap show-inherited by intangible cultural heritage The Kirgiz heroic epic "Manas" displayed by people.
"Manas" tells the story of the hero Manas and his seven generations of descendants, leading the Kirgiz people to fight against foreign invaders, and interprets the indomitable and united national spirit.
For thousands of years, "Manas" has been handed down by word of mouth, and together with "Gesar (S)er" and "Jangger", it is called China's three major classical national epics. Xi Jinping has mentioned this heroic epic many times.
This trip to Xinjiang, why Xi Jinping paid attention to "Manas" again, may be observed from three levels.
The first is cultural protection and inheritance.
From tangible historical relics to intangible intangible cultural heritage, Xi Jinping published a series of important expositions and made a series of important instructions to point out the direction for the protection of historical and cultural heritage, emphasizing that "we must pay attention to the protection and inheritance of historical and cultural heritage, and protect China. The never-ending root of the national spirit."
It is China's continuous efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage, and "Manas", which was once facing the crisis of disappearance, has been revived.
In recent years, Manas has not only been translated into various languages and published widely, but also operas based on it have been performed many times. This heroic epic has entered a broader cultural field.
During the visit to Xinjiang, he had a face-to-face communication with the inheritors of "Manas". While admiring their wonderful performances, Xi Jinping once again urged: to strengthen the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, and to carry forward the excellent traditional culture of all ethnic groups.
Xi Jinping once emphasized that some intangible cultural heritage has been seriously lost, and we cannot wait until we lose it before we know how to cherish it.
Intangible cultural heritage is the crystallization of the wisdom and civilization of the Chinese nation and the treasure of Chinese culture.
From the perspective of cultural heritage protection and economic development, "Manas", a national epic that has been rescued and constantly rejuvenated, is giving people profound inspiration.
The second is the level of spiritual homeland shared by the Chinese nation.
"Manas" is an outstanding representative of Chinese minority culture.
During his inspection, Xi Jinping called it "a precious treasure of both ethnic minorities and the Chinese nation."
"Our splendid culture is jointly created by all ethnic groups. Chinese culture is the culmination of the cultures of all ethnic groups." Xi Jinping once pointed out.
From the perspective of nationality and culture, the reason why Chinese culture is colorful, broad and profound lies in its eclectic and inclusive nature, which is the convergence of cultures of various nationalities.
Practice has also proved that it is the fertile soil of multi-ethnic cultures rooted in harmony and diversity that has contributed to the enduring and newness of Chinese culture.
This is the important wisdom of the Chinese civilization becoming the only civilization in the world that has not been interrupted and has developed so far.
As for the protection and inheritance of ethnic minority culture, Xi Jinping is here.
Touching the texture of Tibetan carpets in Qinghai, playing the Wa wooden drum in Yunnan, and participating in the "Five Animals Praying for Blessing" ceremony in Inner Mongolia... Almost every time he comes to ethnic areas, Xi Jinping will personally experience the unique charm of the local culture.
"I came to see you today to show that the Party Central Committee supports and supports the protection and inheritance of the intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minorities." In 2019, Xi Jinping pointed out when he inspected the "Gesa (S)er" rap show in Inner Mongolia.
This is in line with the intention of watching "Manas" in Xinjiang this time.
China is a unified multi-ethnic country, with 56 ethnic groups constantly communicating and mingling, forming a diverse and unified Chinese nation.
It can be said that to protect and inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture including "Manas", and let them be passed down from generation to generation, is to protect the root and soul of the Chinese nation, and to protect the shared spiritual home.
Some observers pointed out that Xi Jinping's viewing of the "Manas" rap show during his visit to Xinjiang once again showed his intention to protect and inherit the excellent traditional culture of ethnic minorities, that is, all ethnic groups should respect and appreciate each other culturally, learn from each other, and learn from each other. Learn from it and carry forward the excellent traditional culture of all ethnic groups.
The third is the level of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
Xinjiang has an irreplaceable position and role in the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt.
In April 2014, when Xi Jinping inspected Xinjiang, he asked Xinjiang to "integrate its regional opening-up strategy into the overall layout of the construction of the National Silk Road Economic Belt and its opening to the west".
During this trip to Xinjiang, Xi Jinping further pointed out that with the deepening of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", Xinjiang is no longer a remote area, but a core area and a hub area.
From "freehand brushwork" to "fine brushwork", today, the intensive cultivation of the "Belt and Road" requires the use of the important power of culture, and the cultural foundation of the "Belt and Road" people-to-people bond is built through exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations.
The intersection and consensus of history and culture of countries along the route is becoming an important fulcrum for people-to-people bonds.
As a cultural treasure that has been sung for thousands of years on the "Belt and Road", "Manas" not only has far-reaching influence in Xinjiang, but also has extensive influence in the countries along the route, and has become a bridge for cultural exchanges and mutual learning.
Especially in Kyrgyzstan, a neighboring country of China, Manas is of great significance, and Kyrgyzstan's highest medal of honor is named after it.
A "Manas" is a cultural model of people-to-people bonds in the joint construction of the "Belt and Road".
"To really build the 'Belt and Road', we must form a humanistic pattern of mutual appreciation, mutual understanding and mutual respect among the people of the countries along the route." Xi Jinping once pointed out.
Comments believe that this trip to Xinjiang, Xi Jinping's attention to "Manas" once again also intends to emphasize that to promote the construction of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt in Xinjiang, we must make good use of culture, an important force in the construction of the "Belt and Road", and continue to pass the civilization. Exchange and mutual learning, and build a solid foundation for people-to-people bonds.
Culture is the soul of a country and a nation, and cultural identity is the deepest level of identity.
The Chinese civilization has been famous for its openness and inclusiveness since ancient times, and it has been constantly radiating new vitality through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations.
Let the traditional culture be passed on, let the common spiritual home live endlessly, and let civilizations communicate and learn from each other, this may be the profound meaning of Xi Jinping's visit to Xinjiang to pay attention to "Manas" again.
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