Oral Epic Traditions: A New Look from China.

The article reviews the book *Oral Epic Traditions in China and Beyond* by Chinese scholar Chao Gejin, which offers a comprehensive study of oral epic poetry with a focus on Mongolian traditions. Organized into four parts, the book covers the history and theories of epic studies, detailed research o...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Folklore (14060957) Vol. 99; pp. 470 - 474
Autor principal: Funk, Dmitry
Formato: Book Review
Publicado: Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore 2026
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:The article reviews the book *Oral Epic Traditions in China and Beyond* by Chinese scholar Chao Gejin, which offers a comprehensive study of oral epic poetry with a focus on Mongolian traditions. Organized into four parts, the book covers the history and theories of epic studies, detailed research on Mongolian oral poetics, and a comparative analysis of Mongolian, South Slavic, Ancient Greek, and Old English epic traditions. Emphasizing the importance of fieldwork and textual nuances, Chao highlights features such as the formulaic structure of epic names and the variability in performance length. The work is positioned as a significant contribution to epic scholarship, valuable both for specialists in Mongolian and other epic traditions and for those interested in the broader diversity of oral epic cultures.