Buryatia culture and art. Tour to Buryatia.
WELCOME TO BURYATIA
CULTURE AND ART
Before the annexation of East Siberia to Russia, the vast area on both sides of
Lake Baikal belonged to the northern outlying region of Mongolia. Over the
centuries the nomadic civilization developed its own cultural values, ideals and
norms. The Book of Prohibitions (Yasa-name), published in 1206, represents a
National Code of Conduct for the nomadic peoples. This Code prescribed, among
other things, religious tolerance, respect of temples and ecclesiastic and
elderly people, and charity to the needy. The Yasa and other subsequent literary
artefacts testify that Mongol tribes had not only cherished ancient
philosophical traditions but also had a distinct state legislation, a writing
system, primitive book printing and a system of education.
Like any other civilization, the civilization of nomads knew periods of both
prosperity and decline, yet their morality, ethics and spiritual traditions were
passed from one generation down to the next one and kept as a timeless cultural
heritage. Despite their difficult history, Buryats have always demonstrated
benevolence and respect to their neighbors who arrived in the Baikal region at
different time periods.
Today, cultural, religious and social traditions of different peoples in
Buryatia are closely interwoven forming a unique pattern of peaceful
coexistence. In this pattern no colors lose their luster, for mutual respect and
tolerance are characteristic features of the peoples united by one destiny.
The heroic epic "Geser," whose 100th anniversary was celebrated in 1995,
glorifies the idea of equality and collectivism of the people living on the land
of ancestors. At this difficult time period, Geser's land - Buryatia - is one of
the few Russian regions that managed to retain its political, national, and
religious stability.
The modern religious outlook and religious attitudes of Buryats are rooted in
their history: the ancient pagan perception of the world by steppe nomads
naturally merged with the fundamental principles of Buddhism emphasizing the
idea of compassion for all living creatures. In 1741 the first Buddhist Temple
was established in the region. By 1914 there were 36 Buddhist temples in
Buryatia, each being a spiritual and cultural center. Book printing, philosophy,
medicine, and astronomy all developed on the temples' premises.
By 1941, no functioning Buddhist monasteries had been left, and most
religious leaders and clergy had been arrested and jailed. This was also the
fate of Russian Orthodoxy and Old Believers' Orthodoxy that had come to Buryatia
in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Russian churches and chapels that remained
in many villages testify of the spread of Christianity in Buryatia.
The past several years has been a time of revival in Buryatia as old datsans
are being restored and new temples and Christian churches are being constructed.
Today cultural traditions of the peoples in Zabaikalye are closely
interlaced, yet the originality of each culture is carefully preserved in all of
its aspects, which may be national cuisine, theater, or something else.
There are five theaters in the capital of Buryatia: the Buryat State Academic
Opera and Ballet House, Buryat State Academic Theatre named after Khotsa
Namsaraev, Russian State Academic Theatre named after N. Bestuzhev, Youth
Theater Studio, and the Buryat State Republican Puppet Theatre "Uliger."
Russian, Buryat, Old Russian Orthodox, Cossack, and Evenk folk ensembles
demonstrate a highly professional level as they perform in front of different
audiences.
The impressive material culture of the past, the variety of the flora and
fauna, the riches of the region's nature are all represented in the exhibits of
the Republic's museums, such as the Ethnographical Museum of the Peoples of
Zabaikalye, M. Khangalov History Museum, Art Museum, Nature Museum of Buryatia,
Geology Museum in Ulan-Ude, and V. Obruchev Local History Museum in Kyakhta.
Exhibits of original pieces of art by local craftsmen who work traditionally
with gold and silver; Buddhist icons; paintings which combine the European style
with Oriental motifs all testify of the high level of spirituality and education
of the bearers of the nation's culture.
The Republic has been rightfully considered one of the cultural centers of
East Siberia. The traditionally high level of the republic's cultural activity
is demonstrated by, among other things, by five theaters, as well as by
professional unions of writers, composers, artists, and architects. The oldest
union is the Union of Writers whose renowned members included such Buryat
writers as Khotsa Namsarayev, Dashirabdan Batozhabay, Nikolay Damdinov, and Isay
Kalashnikov.
Wide popularity is attributed to such stage masters as the Distinguished
Actors Lhasaran Linhovoin, Larisa Sahyanova, Dugarzhap Dashiev, Kim Bazarsadaev,
Galina Shoidagbaeva, etc. People from many regions of Russia have seen the
perfomances of the Buryat State Academic Opera and Ballet House. The trouppe of
the theater has often successfully gone on tours abroad. Groups of actors of
this theater have performed in Mongolia, China, Japan, Korea, the USA, Germany,
the UK, Austria, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal many times. Actors from
China, Korea, Mongolia, Poland, and other countries demonstrated their artistic
skills as they performed on the stage of the Buryat Opera and Ballet House.
The Buryat State Khotsa Namsarayev Academic Drama Theater and the Russian
State Nikolay Bestuzhev Academic Theatre, which is the oldest theater in the
republic, both have extremely rich traditions. The theaters' repertoires include
classical and contemporary plays, as well as ones by Buryat authos and
playwrights. In Buryatia, there are also avant-guard theaters, such as the
Ulan-Ude Youth Theater Studio on Dimitrov Street and the Theater Studio of
Modern Plastic Art and Pantomime called "AzArt."
Other cultural institutions of the republic include the Buryat State
Philarmony, Baikal ensemble of dance and song, State Folk Dance Theater called
Badma- Seseg, and so on. Such amateur groups as the Oriental Dance ensemble
"Lotus," Folk dance and song ensembles "Magtaal" and "Toonto," and Bolshoy
Kunaley Old Russian Believers' Choir are very popular as well.
The first Buryat musical work was M. Frolov's opera "Enkhe Bulat-Bator" that
was staged in 1940. Since then, there have been a number of talented composers
in Buryatia.
The well-known artist Tsyrenzhap Sampilov was among those who laid the
foundation of the further development of Buryat art. One of the best
representatives of the generation of modern Buryat artists is Dashinima Dugarov,
who has created a series of works describing Lake Baikal and today's life of
Buryat people.
Inhabitants of the Republic have strong ties with Buryat ethnic groups in
other cities and countries. Buryat Culture Societies are registered in Moscow,
St. Petersburg, Kyiv, and Irkutsk. The capital city of Buryatia Ulan-Ude has
sister cities in Mongolia, Korea, and Japan. Over 300 public organizations and
associations are registered in Buryatia.
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Tour to Buryatia
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