Manchu Shuobu

Manchu Shuobu, an art form combining narration-chant and story-telling, is one of the ancient folklore rap arts of the Manchu people. In Manchu it is called "ulabun", which means biography.

In the old days such performances were often given by the elderly and the stories passed from generation to generation and from mouth to mouth.

In the middle and late Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), the language of the art form changed from Manchu to Mandarin.

The themes of Manchu Shuobu are diversified. The rise of the tribe, the ancient rituals, and epics about heroes, ethnic customers and daily life can all be stories.

It records the history of Manchu ancestors and helps complete their historical records in north China, contributing to academic research on ethnohistory, territorial history, sociology and the study of folklore

It was selected as one of the first national intangible cultural heritage of China in 2006.