MEDIEVAL MONGOLO-CHINESE LITERARY RELATIONSHIPS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of Mongolian-Chinese literary relations during the Middle Ages. The literary process of medieval Mongolia is characterized by the development in a wide context of literary and cultural relationships with the literatures of Central Asia, South Siberia and the Far East, which was due to both the geographical location and the socio-political situation of the country, starting from the 13th century. When studying the problems of Mongolian-Chinese relations, it is important for us to consider the creative synthesis of two neighboring cultures, which stimulates the development and mutual enrichment of literary and folklore traditions. Mongolian-Chinese literary relations are characterized by development in two stages. The first stage is associated with the formation of the Yuan dynasty of the Mongols in China (1271–1368). It was during this period that the foundations were laid for the unification, synthesis of two different cultures within the framework of one state and the further development of the process of historical and cultural relations. The second stage is characterized by the entry of Mongolia into the Manchu Qing Dynasty of China (1644–1911). It was during this period that the synthesis of the Mongolian-Chinese folklore and literary traditions reached its apogee: a new genre appeared called “book tale” (bensen uliger); numerous translations of Chinese narrative prose, in particular novels, lead to the creation of the genre of the novel — historical, family and everyday — in Mongolian literature. A notable achievement in this genre was the work of the outstanding writer, the first Mongolian author of novels, V. Injannash.