Apparently known as ulabun in Manchu and Shuō bù (说部) in Chinese, this is a storytelling tradition—involving song and recital—among the Manchu of northeast China. These tales naturally center around folk heroes, indigenous religious beliefs and history of the Manchu, but some Chinese experts argue that it has long been influenced by the Han tradition of storytelling, or Shuōshū (说书). For a brief description of the tradition in English, see Biographic Singing and Talking at the web site of the Institute of Ethnic Literature.
I haven’t done any reading about this yet, but I have noted that research about it is receiving increased funding from various authorities in China. So for right now, I list some of those research projects below, and hope to write more about this tradition at a later date. I especially welcome those knowledgeable in this field to comment!
Manchu “Shuobu” (说部):
Contemporary Research & Publications in Chinese
(Summarized from Oct 2013 article: 满族说部研究扎实推进)
|《满族古老记忆的当代解读—满族传统说部论集》（第一辑）||Shuobu :“Decoding” Manchu memories||Published. Research by Jilin Academy of Social Sciences.|
|《清代东北满族文学研究》||Qing Dynasty northern Manchu literature||Published. Research by Jilin Academy of Social Sciences.|
|《满族说部文本研究》丛书||Series of books on Shuobu academic research||Plan to launch first 5-6 books in the series within 2014. Research by Jilin Academy of Social Sciences.|
|《满族说部口头传统研究》||Shuobu oral tradition||Funded by Academy of Social Sciences Fund. Research completed. Authored by Zhou Huiquan (周惠泉) of Jilin Academy of Social Sciences Institute of Language and literature.|
|《满族说部研究：叙事类型的文化透视》||Understanding culture via modalities of Shuobu storytelling||Funded by Academy of Social Sciences Fund. Research completed. Authored by Jiang Fan (江帆) of Liaoning U.|
|《口述与书写：满族说部传承研究》||Shuobu oral and written tradition||Funded by Academy of Social Sciences Fund. Research underway. Authored by Gao Hehong (高荷红) of CASS Institute of Ethnic Literature.|
|《满族说部与东北历史文化》||Shuobu and culture and history of China’s northeast.||Published. Authored by Yang Chunfeng (杨春风) of Jilin Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Language and Literature.|
|《满族说部中的神话与史诗研究》||Myths and epic tales in Shuobu||Funded by Academy of Social Sciences Fund. Research underway. Authored by Yang Chunfeng (杨春风) of Jilin Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Language and Literature.|