On June 14th, China observed the Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. He Shihuan, a 98-year-old woman from Sunwu County, Heilongjiang Province, who was recently conferred on the title of national-level inheritor of Manchu storytelling – a representative intangible cultural heritage item – finds herself worried rather than elated.
He Shihuan, National-Level Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage (The Sixth Batch): “Though I have been recognized as a national-level inheritor, I am deeply concerned because I have not found a successor yet. Neither my son nor my granddaughter speaks the Manchu language. They say no to it.”
Guan Wanli, He Shihuan's Son: “I don't speak the Manchu language. I gotta work day in and day out, got no time to learn it.”
Manchu storytelling is a form of folk literature passed down among the Manchu ethnic group, involving tales told in the Manchu language about their family heritage. It incorporates a significant amount of ancient Manchu vocabulary and grammatical structures and serves as critical source material for studying Manchu culture, which is an integral part of Chinese culture. In 2006, Manchu storytelling was included in the first batch of the national intangible cultural heritage item list.
He Shihuan: “My child, you're sleepy, I'm putting you in the cradle. Lie down and I sing a song for you. Have a good sleep now…”
As the sole national-level inheritor of Manchu storytelling in Heilongjiang, He Shihuan has mastered the art of narrating Manchu stories under the influence of her grandparents from a young age.
Her representative works include “The Battle in Heaven”, “The Legend of General Sabusu”, and “The Red Robe Lady”. With her turning 100 years old, this Manchu storytelling tradition faces the risk of disappearing if she cannot find a successor.
He Shihuan, National-Level Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage (The Sixth Batch): “Please do me a favor and help me find someone who can carry on this tradition.”
What troubles He Shihuan is also a concern for the local government of Sunwu County. To address this issue, the county established a Manchu storytelling practice center for He Shihuan a month ago, aiming to find someone to inherit her legacy.
Zhang Jianlin, Director of Sunwu County Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism Bureau: “We hope that people with a deep passion for Manchu culture will come to Sunwu County and work together to pass this significant intangible cultural heritage down.”
National-Level Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage (The Sixth Batch): “I am not afraid of death, but I fear that I may not find an inheritor.”
Currently, the Manchu language is on the brink of dying out and is considered critically endangered. To find an inheritor for He Shihuan's legacy, efforts should primarily focus on protecting and promoting the Manchu language. Zhao Aping, a 70-year-old professor at Heilongjiang University, has dedicated over 40 years to the preservation and study of the Manchu language. In 2018, she spearheaded the launch of a major project of the National Social Science Fund of China – “Construction and Research of the Manchu-Tungusic Language Corpus of China”. To date, the project has collected and sorted out over 2,200 Manchu vocabulary entries, more than 300 classic sentences, and dozens of folk stories, legends, and folk songs.
Professor Zhao Aping, Manchu Studies Institute and Doctoral Supervisor, Heilongjiang University: “The Manchu language is critically endangered. It is not merely an ordinary ethnic language but contributes significantly to Chinese history and culture. (It is the responsibility) of inheritors, researchers, and the numerous supporters among the public to keep the Manchu language alive.”
