Carrying an epic spirit over centuries

As a Manaschi of the new generation, Tuohenali sees innovation as a vital means of revitalization. "Innovation means letting the epic walk with the times and live in people's daily lives," he explains.

In 2022, he was invited to Inner Mongolia autonomous region's Baarin Right Banner — one of China's three epic protection bases — for a seven-day cultural exchange. There, he trained 11 Mongolian performers who didn't speak the Kirgiz language to sing excerpts from Manas.

"They first translated the verses into Mongolian so they could understand the story," he recalls.

"By the end of the week, all 11 performed five minutes of Manas onstage and sang with confidence."

This cross-ethnic collaboration, he says, perfectly embodies Manas as a shared cultural bridge. "The inheritance and development of Manas reflect the very essence of building a strong sense of community among all ethnic groups in China."