Performance and Preservation: Legacy of the Epic Geser
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This video covers three main themes. Firstly, prior to COVID-19, the Geser association in Nilah County organized themselves to perform a chapter of the Epic Geser. Due to a lack of funding, local Öölds purchased ten special dresses and rented the rest. Following their performance, they were invited to attend an Epic Geser conference in Inner Mongolia, where they received commendable results. Secondly, regarding the origin of the Epic Geser, scholars have often presented two different arguments. One suggests that Geser emerged among Mongols before being transmitted to Tibetans, where it was further developed and transmitted back to Mongols. The earliest recorded Epic Geser is the Beijing woodblock Epic Geser, created in 1716. However, it was originally recorded from four Ööld elders in Khökh Nuur, suggesting a potential Oirat origin. Regarding the ideology of the Epic Geser, some scholars believe that it contains shamanistic elements, whereas others believe it exhibits more Buddhist features than shamanistic ones. Thirdly, the transmission of the Epic Geser occurs either through scripts or oral tradition. Currently, six Epic Geser chapters are found in Ili, alongside numerous shorter Geser praise and rules. Additionally, people primarily pass down Geser knowledge through oral performances, with listeners expected to continue this tradition to subsequent generations, as halting the tradition is considered undesirable. Overall, the text is clear and well-structured.