In addition to the heroic images of Manas and his offsprings, the epic also presented people a vivid portrayal of the typical character enjoyed by a number of good-natured Kyrgyz women. Some verses of the epic focus on the alluring profile of Kanikei, wife of Manas. As the princess of Kara Khan, Kanikei was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. However, she was not a spoiled princess with a capricious personality. Instead, she was a gorgeous, generous and kind-hearted woman with a mild manner. The eloquent princess was adept in thinking and blessed with a sagacious and resolute mind. Compared with her husband who sometimes allowed emotion to sway his judgment and acted on rash impluse, Kanikei appeared much more far-sighted. The epic portrays her beauty and wisdom with the following lines:
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“As the daughter of Kara Khan,
She is a rarely-seen beauty in the world
Among all the girls putting thimbles over the finger for sewing,
She is the one with superhuman ingenuity.
...
Even the fresh flowers can not match her beautiful appearance.
And no one else can be on a par with her when it comes to appearance.
She is best known for her unparalleled beauty across the world!
Kanikei is just like the rosy clouds over the grassland.
Her name is deeply engraved on the memory of Manas.”
In order to highlight the quick wits and great courage of Princess Kanikei, some verses offer an intimate portrayal of how Manas ignored the rational suggestions of Kanikei and how his rash actions resulted in failure subsequently.
3) Main Theme of “Manas”
The epic of Manas is set in the turbulent era which witnessed the intense struggle among Chinese feudal separationist powers which vied with each other to annex other powers’ territory. The northern and northwestern parts of China were under the control of Khitan (also known as Kitay in the epic) and Kara Khitan (also known as Kara Kitay in the epic) for a long time. As both khanates established by Khitan people were on the wane, Qirat tribes (also known as Qalmaq people in the epic) began to hold sway over the Mongolian Plateau and Eurasian Steppe. Qirat people never stopped their pace of expansion. And the reach of their
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Empire stretched from China’s northern frontier to Tianshan Mountains and the Pamirs Plateau. With the rapid expansion of their sphere of influence, Qirat rulers had gradually pressed on with their efforts in oppressing and exploiting other ethnic groups. Never submitting to slavery, numerous Kyrgyz people began to revolt against the cruel aggressors. At that time, the struggles between both sides were quite intense. The epic reflects the intense struggles under the circumstances of the acute social contradictions during the upheaval. For example, the second episode entitled “Semetei” vividly describes how aggressors imposed strict reins on Kyrgyz people:
“They capture the livestock grazing on the ranch by force.
They grab rice to feed their battle steeds.
Farmers are not allowed to cultivate their lands in the spring.
Merchants are prohibited from doing business in the fall.
Six cities are crowded with soldiers as many as ants.
The territory of Akhun Khan becomes so desolate that people cannot imagine.”
An old man disclosed the brutalities committed by invaders and the puppet regime under their protection in the epic. The verses extracted from “Kenenim” portray how Kyrgyz people were all gaging for freedom. They read as follows:
“After Kirsleighty assumed the reins of khanate,
People even could hardly make ends meet.
In order to satisfy his lust,
He spent all day long snatching beautiful girls from door to door.
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The life of him was one of excess.
He levied exobitant taxes on people
So that he could spend lavishly on luxury articles.
Behind us lie the high snow-capped mountains.
In front of us flows the surging Talas River.
The snow-topped mountains are emblematic of dead people’s white bones.
The surging river symbolizes the survivors’ tears.
If only you can stand up and fight the cruel tyrant,
Poor people will follow in your step.”
As a remarkable literary tour de force with affinity to the people, the epic expresses what ordianry people were concerned about and in hot pursuit of. Coming down through the ages, the epic presented readers and audiences a poetic account of how daring members from eight generations of Family Manas cooperated with the friendly forces of other ethnic groups in fighting the brave and resourceful battles against their common enemy – the heartless and pompous despots, secret agents and various monsters taking delight in bullying and humiliating people. The close friendship among different ethnic groups laid the firm foundation for their common struggles for freedom and well-being and was highly appreciated from time to time in the voluminous epic. The present consensus among many scholars is that the solidarity among different nationalities preserved for the purpose of common struggle and progress in spite of losing lives is the main theme of the epic. Such a theme was highlighted in the full text of the epic. For example, the vivid introduction to Manas’ forty warriors reads as follows:
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“Take a look at all those warriors!
A total of twenty heroes come from afar.
Three of them are Tajiks.
Four of them are Kyrgyz people.
The rest includes Karakalpaks (also known as Qaraqalpaqs), Turkmans
As well as many people from Ispan.
They left their respective home countries for the yurt of Manas.
All those heroes!
After hearing Kyrgyz Khanate bore the great Manas
Who would seize back the rights from the Qalmaq people,
All of them come here by riding on their fine steeds
With battle flags held in their hands.
In order to take avenge on the enemy,
They were keen to be warriors of Manas
And fight alongside Manas.”
In the epic, Manas’ remark adds to the main theme furthermore:
“Our people and our land
Are what I am thinking about day and night.
For the sake of the sacred cause of my descendants,