TRADITIONAL CUSTOMS AND EVERYDAY LIFE AS THE FOUNDATION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN ALAI'S WORKS (BASED ON THE NOVEL “EMPTY MOUNTAIN”)

Abstract

The article outlines the role of traditional customs and household practices in shaping national identity as reflected in the novel “Empty Mountain” (“空山”) by the Chinese writer of Tibetan origin, Alai. The study examines the interplay between oral folklore traditions and social transformation in Alai’s literary world, focusing on how family and communal rituals, customs, myths, and ceremonies shape the narrative structure. Special attention is given to how the author represents Tibetan national identity through detailed depictions of daily life, customs, and beliefs that form the Tibetan worldview. The study also analyzes the interaction between traditional Tibetan perspectives and contemporary socio-political changes, which have influenced the internal structure of the novel’s narrative. The article also analyzes Alai’s stylistic palette: the use of metaphor, repetition, intertextual references, and features of folk speech that create a rhythm close to oral narration and affect the emotional perception of the text.The novel “Empty Mountain” presents a complex interweaving of multiple cultural layers: traditional Tibetan worldviews, Buddhist religious practices, and the impact of modernization and political transformations in twentieth-century China. The research highlights how these cultural elements not only coexist in the text but also engage in a dynamic dialogue, reflecting the ambivalent nature of changes occurring within the Tibetan community. The findings reveal that folklore elements serve not merely as a backdrop for literary narration but act as a driving force in plot development, as they transmit the deep historical memory of the people.Particular emphasis is placed on how, in Alai’s artistic discourse, traditional customs and household details acquire metaphorical significance, serving as a foundation for understanding the identity of the ethnic community. These elements contrast with the homogeneous “official” culture propagated by state narratives and instead emerge as a vibrant, organic component of Tibetan national consciousness.Thus, the study of “Empty Mountain” demonstrates the significance of traditional worldviews as a factor in cultural continuity and a pillar of national self-awareness. The findings of this research can be utilized for further exploration of the literary interpretation of traditional culture in the works of authors who navigate multiple cultural paradigms, as well as for a deeper understanding of literary strategies for preserving ethnic identity in the context of social transformations.