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Culture of the Russian people
Completed:
Revenko Danil
Kislovodsk, 2014
National culture is the national memory of the people, what distinguishes this people among others, keeps a person from depersonalization, allows him to feel the connection of times and generations, receive spiritual support and life support.
Russians are an ethnic community of people represented by the Russian nation. Since ancient times, the Russians had their own national state - Rus', which later began to be called Russia in a Byzantine way. The majority of Russians by religion are Orthodox Christians. Ethnically, Russians belong to the Indo-Europeans, namely, to the Eastern Slavs.
Geographical position.
The places where the Russian ethnos was formed stretched from the White Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, from the lower reaches of the Danube and the Carpathian Mountains in the west to the Volga-Oka interfluve in the east. Geography determined the character of the Russian people and the historical path of development that Russian Civilization followed.
In this regard, the Russian genotype contains both hot Cossack morals, expressed in dashing dances and horse riding, and the sedateness of the north, expressed in unhurried round dances and drawn-out folk singing.
Russians, unlike many other peoples, were not squeezed by the seas, impassable mountain ranges, other nations and could freely develop new territories. Such a geographical reason determined the fact that the Russians adopted an extensive civilizational model, in contrast to, for example, Europeans or Japanese, who, due to the geography of their habitat, were forced to develop intensively.
The Russian nation is not so ancient. The very name "Russian" appeared only in the XIV century and meant "sovereign man". Of course, before that there was Rus', but Novgorodians, Suzdalians, Chernigovians, Polonians and other Slavs lived in it. There was no name of the people, no single Russian nation. If earlier foreigners said “Rus”, then it was understood that this person belongs to the Russian princely squad or army, military or commercial Russian expedition.
The population of ancient Rus' generally called itself "Slavs" or specifically "Kiev", "Novgorod", "Smolensk", etc.
The concept of Rus came into the history of Kievan Rus from the previous centuries. It has an ancient chronology and is localized in the southeast of the East Slavic area - this is the right bank of the Middle Dnieper - the Don - the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov.
In this territory in the 6th-7th centuries there was a strong tribal Russian union, which served in the 9th-10th centuries. the core for the formation of the ancient Russian people, which included almost all the East Slavic tribes, including part of the East Finnish - Merya and the whole.
The Old Russian state arose in the ninth century. It was the annalistic Russian land and the area of settlement of the ancient Russian people, which already in those distant times was distinguished by a strongly conscious unity with its land. The original meaning of the word Rus is associated with the concept of light, white. In the 10th-12th centuries, the Slavic-Russians begin the mass development of the Volga-Oka basin, where the core of the historical-ethnic territory of the Russians later formed.
The history of the Great Russians began with 5-6 million people. In view of the sparsely populated North-Western Rus', this was enough to form a powerful state with its center in the city of Moscow.
The ancient Russian state perished under the onslaught of the Batu invasion (1240), which was accompanied by the mass extermination of the population and the destruction of cities. The result of the collapse of statehood and the great strife was the separation of ethno-territorial associations, which in the historical perspective led to the formation of the Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples.
During the entire foreseeable historical period, Russians have mastered 21 million square meters. km. lands. This became possible thanks to the creation of Russian statehood and the developed self-awareness of the people. At the beginning of the 20th century, Russians were the second largest people in the world. Since the beginning of the twentieth century. the number of Russians, despite significant losses as a result of two world wars and other socio-economic cataclysms, has almost doubled. According to the 1989 census in the USSR, the number of all Russians was 145 million, including 120 million in Russia.
This is explained not only by a significant natural increase in the population, but also by the merger with the Russians of certain groups of other peoples. Since the 1970s, the growth rate of Russians began to noticeably decrease due to a sharp decline in the birth rate, and since the 1990s, also due to a sharp increase in mortality. Currently, about 127 million ethnic Russians live on Earth. About 86% of them live in Russia. The remaining 14% - in various countries of the world. Most of all - in Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Architecture.
Architecture in Rus' was temple, serf and civil.
The architectural style of Kievan Rus was established under the influence of the Byzantine. Early Orthodox churches were mostly made of wood. The tent style was recognized by Russian architects. The oldest surviving tent temple of wooden architecture is St. Nicholas Church in the village of Lyavlya, Arkhangelsk region.
In the history of Russia there was a rather long period when public buildings were built of white stone - limestone. Temples and fortresses built from it harmoniously fit into the surrounding nature and over the centuries have become an integral part of the Russian landscape.
The first stone church of Kievan Rus was the Church of the Tithes in Kiev (the Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos), erected between 986 and 996 by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir (c. 960-1015) on the site of the death of the martyr Theodore and his son John.
In 1037 in Kyiv, by order of Yaroslav the Wise (978-1054), the construction of the Hagia Sophia began. Thus, the prince proclaimed Kyiv equal to Constantinople, where the main cathedral was also dedicated to St. Sofia. The cathedral was built on the site of the battle between the Kyivans and the Pechenegs, which ended in the complete defeat of the nomads.
In 1045-1050, Vladimir Yaroslavich of Novgorod (1020-1052) built the main Orthodox church in Veliky Novgorod - Hagia Sophia, which is the oldest surviving church in Russia, built by the Slavs.
In this monument, the distinctive features of Novgorod architecture are noticeable - monumentality, simplicity, and the absence of excessive decorativeness.
The Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on Dvorishche, built by Prince Mstislav (1076-1132), the son of Vladimir Monomakh, in 1113 is the first stone building on the Trade side of Novgorod. The founding of the temple is associated with the acquisition of the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas, which cured Prince Mstislav of a serious illness.
The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Antoniev Monastery, built in Novgorod in 1117, is considered the first non-princely building in Novgorod. The founder and first abbot of the monastery was St. Anthony the Roman (c. 1067-1147).
In 1119, by order of Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich (c. 1095-1138), the construction of the Church of St. George the Victorious (built in 1130) began on the territory of the ancient monastery in Yuryev due to the fact that constant control was required over the approaches to Novgorod from the shores of Lake Ilmen . The artel of master Peter was engaged in the construction of the temple.
In the 30s of the XII century, Rus' entered an era of feudal fragmentation. The temples of Novgorod, built during this period, are no longer striking in their huge size, but they retain the main features of this architectural school. They are characterized by simplicity and some heaviness of forms. At the end of the 12th century, such churches were built as the Church of Peter and Paul on Sinichya Gora (1185-1192) and the Church of the Assurance of Thomas on Myachina (1195) (a new church under the same name was built on its foundation in 1463). An outstanding monument that completed the development of the school in the 12th century was the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa (1198). It was built in one season under the Novgorod prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich.
In the XII-XIII centuries, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality became an important cultural center. Continuing the Byzantine and Kyiv traditions, the architectural style is changing, acquiring its own, individual features.
Under Prince Yuri Dolgoruky in 1152, the Church of Boris and Gleb in Kideksha and the Transfiguration Cathedral in Pereslavl-Zalessky were built. During the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky (1111-1174), Vladimir-Suzdal architecture reached its peak. In the capital of the principality, Vladimir, active construction is taking place, the city is being built up with monumental structures.
Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky did everything to make the city of Vladimir (named after Vladimir Monomakh) eclipse Kyiv. Gates were built in the fortress wall that surrounded the city, the main of which was traditionally called Golden. Such gates were erected in all major cities of the Christian world, starting with Constantinople, in memory of the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem through the Golden Gate of the city.
The Cathedral of the Assumption - a land cathedral to the glory of the Mother of God - was erected in Vladimir in 1158-1160, and then rebuilt in 1185-1189. Prince Vsevolod III (1154-1212).
The greatest Russian shrine was placed in the cathedral - the icon of the Mother of God, which, according to legend, was painted by the Evangelist Luke and secretly taken out of Kyiv by Andrei Bogolyubsky.
In 1158-1165, at the mouth of the Nerl River, 10 km. to the northeast of Vladimir, by order of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, his residence was built (now the village of Bogolyubovo). One of the most outstanding architectural monuments of the Vladimir-Suzdal school is the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, built in 1165 as a monument to the successful campaign of Andrei Bogolyubsky against the Volga Bulgars in 1164, and to the feast of the Intercession of the Virgin. At the same time, it was a monument to the son of Prince Andrei - Izyaslav, who died in this campaign.
In the time of Vsevolod, whose glory and power so impressed his contemporaries, the Suzdal land became a principality, dominating the rest of Russia. During this period, the Demetrius Cathedral was erected in Vladimir (1191). Thus, the architecture of Rus' in the 10th-12th centuries, being influenced by various cultures, especially the Byzantine one, developed, however, its original, unique character and made an invaluable contribution to the treasury of world culture.
One of the outstanding monuments of fortress architecture of the XV-XVII centuries was the Kremlin, which turned any city into an impregnable fortress.
By the 17th century, there were already hundreds of buildings in the Moscow Kremlin. The Kremlin was turning into a world famous, unique architectural ensemble, a symbol of the strength and unity of the Russian land.
The 17th century brought with it new artistic trends. A decorative, picturesque style came into architecture. The forms of buildings became more complicated, their walls were covered with multi-colored ornaments, white-stone carvings.
By the end of the century, the style of Moscow, or Naryshkin, baroque, lush and majestic, ceremonial and exceptionally elegant, was taking shape. The most famous building of the late 17th century is the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin in Fili.
A true masterpiece of Russian civil architecture of this period is the Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin.
The 18th century in the architecture and urban planning of Russia is characterized by the fusion of the Russian style with three European trends - baroque, rococo and classicism.
During this period, several outstanding architectural ensembles were built: the Smolny Monastery, the Peterhof and Tsarskoye Selo palaces, the building of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, St. Andrew's Cathedral in Kyiv. Thus, in the process of evolution of Russian national culture in architecture, the concept of “Russian style” was formed as a reflection of the totality of conscious traditions, traits, and features characteristic of Russian culture not in a specific historical period, but from the time of the formation of a single Russian nation to this day.
The Russian language belongs to the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic group, which is part of the Indo-European family of languages. From Ancient Rus', the Russian language inherited its written language.
The basis of the modern Russian alphabet is Cyrillic - one of the oldest Slavic alphabets.
Russian is the most widely spoken language in the world, one of the six official and working languages of the UN, and one of the five working languages of the Parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
National Costume.
The Russian national costume is divided according to social status. Peasant Russian national costume is embroidered peasant clothes with folk ornaments, bast shoes, hats. The urban Russian national costume is represented mainly by outerwear - these are long leather or woolen coats, high black leather boots, Cossack hats, etc.
The main parts of the women's folk costume were a shirt, an apron, or a curtain, a sundress, a poneva, a bib, a shushpan (women's short clothing, with interception, usually cloth).
In the Russian folk costume, ancient headdresses and the very custom for a married woman to hide her hair, for a girl - to leave it uncovered, are preserved. This custom is due to the form of a female headdress in the form of a closed cap, a girl's - in the form of a hoop or bandage. Kokoshniks "magpies", various bandages and crowns are widespread. The men's costume consisted of a shirt-kosovorotka with a low stand or without it and narrow trousers (ports) made of canvas or dyed. A shirt made of white or colored canvas was worn over trousers and girdled with a belt or a long woolen sash. The decorative solution of the kosovorotki is embroidery on the bottom of the product, the bottom of the sleeves, the neck. Embroidery was often combined with inserts of a fabric of a different color, the location of which emphasized the design of the shirt (partial seams in the front and back, gussets, neck lining, line connecting the sleeve with the armhole). On a short-cropped head, tafyas were usually worn, which in the 16th century were not removed even in the church, despite the censure of Metropolitan Philip. Tafya is a small round hat.
Hats were put on over the tafya: among the common people - from felt, poyarka, for rich people - from fine cloth and velvet. In addition to hats in the form of hoods, triukhs, murmolkas and hats were worn.
Customs and traditions.
Russian folk customs and traditions are connected with the calendar and with human life. In Rus', the calendar was called the calendar. The Monthly Book covered the entire year of peasant life, “describing” by day month after month, where each day corresponded to its own holidays or weekdays, customs and superstitions, traditions and rituals, natural signs and phenomena. The folk calendar is a kind of encyclopedia of peasant life. It includes knowledge of nature, agricultural experience, rituals, norms of social life.
For a long time in the villages lived three calendars. The first is natural, agricultural, associated with the change of seasons. The second - pagan, pre-Christian times, just like agricultural, correlated with natural phenomena. The third, latest calendar is Christian, Orthodox, in which there are only twelve great holidays, not counting Easter.
National holidays.
Russian people knew how to work, they knew how to relax. Following the principle: "Cause - time, fun - hour", the peasants rested mainly on holidays. The Russian word "holiday" comes from the ancient Slavic "holiday", meaning "rest, idleness". Since ancient times, Christmas has been considered the main winter holiday. The Christmas holiday came to Rus' along with Christianity in the 10th century. and merged with the ancient Slavic winter holiday - Christmas time, or carols. Slavic Christmas time was a multi-day holiday. They began at the end of December and continued throughout the first week of January. It was forbidden to quarrel, swear, mention death, and commit reprehensible acts at Christmas time. Everyone was obliged to do each other only pleasant. On the threshold of spring, the villages celebrated a fun holiday - Maslenitsa. It has been known since pagan times as a holiday of seeing off winter and welcoming spring. Like any event associated with Easter - the main event of the Christian year, Maslenitsa does not have an exact calendar attachment, but is the week preceding Great Lent. The original name of Maslenitsa was "myasopust". Later they began to call Shrovetide week "cheese week", or simply Shrovetide. It was not allowed to eat meat, but dairy products, including butter, which were abundantly poured over pancakes - the main festive dish, were not yet banned. Each day of the Maslenitsa week had its own name, each day its own specific actions, rules of conduct, rituals were prohibited. Monday was called - meeting, Tuesday - flirting, Wednesday - gourmet, Thursday - revelry, fours wide, Friday - mother-in-law evenings, Saturday - sister-in-law gatherings, Sunday - forgiveness day, seeing off. The whole week, in addition to official names, was popularly referred to as: “Honest, wide, cheerful, Lady Shrovetide, Madam Shrovetide”. Every spring, Russians, like Christians all over the world, celebrate Easter, the Holy Resurrection of Christ, the oldest and most famous of Christian church celebrations. The main Easter rituals are known to everyone: dyeing eggs, baking Easter cakes. For a believer, Easter is also associated with the all-night vigil, procession and Christening. Christening consists in the exchange of kisses while pronouncing the Easter greeting: “Christ is Risen!” - "Truly risen!".
On the fiftieth day after Easter, the Trinity (the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit) was celebrated. In this Orthodox holiday, traces of the ancient Slavic holiday Semik, which was celebrated on the seventh week after Easter, are found. The holiday was held in the forest. The birch was in the center of attention these days. She was decorated with ribbons, flowers, danced around her, sang songs. Windows, houses, courtyards, temples were decorated with birch branches, believing that they have healing powers. On Trinity, the birch was “buried” - drowned in water, which they tried to ensure rain.
On June 24, on the days of the summer solstice, Rus' celebrated the feast of Ivan Kupala - a pagan holiday of worshiping the natural elements - fire and water. The pagan Kupala was never Ivan. He didn't have any name at all. And he bought it when the Kupala holiday coincided with the Christian holiday of the Nativity of John the Baptist. This holiday was also called the day of Ivan Travnik. After all, the medicinal herbs collected during this period are miraculous. On Kupala, they dreamed of finding and seeing how the fern blossoms. It is at these moments that treasures emerge from the earth, lighting up with green lights. No less desirable was the meeting with the "gap-grass", from the touch of which any metal shatters into pieces, any doors open. Russian folk holidays were unusually rich and varied. Unfortunately, some of them are almost forgotten today. I would like to believe that a genuine interest in Russian culture will be allowed to revive the lost and pass it on to posterity.
Ceremonies dedicated to major holidays included a large number of different works of folk art: songs, sentences, round dances, games, dances, dramatic scenes, masks, folk costumes, original props. Folk traditions of celebrating Easter, the Trinity, the Nativity of Christ, the Assumption and many temple (patronal) holidays contribute to the strengthening of family, kinship and territorial ethnic ties.
Folk songs.
Russian folk song is a song whose words and music have developed historically in the course of the development of Russian culture. The folk song does not have a specific author, or the author is unknown. All Russian songs carry a semantic load. The songs of the Russian people sing about everyday life, experiences and the life of people of that time. Russian folk songs are divided into:
1. Song epic;
2. Calendar ritual songs;
3. Family ritual songs;
4. Traditional lyric songs;
5. Labor songs;
6. Vacation songs;
7. Removed songs;
8. Comic, satirical, round dance songs, ditties, choruses, suffering;
9. Songs of literary origin;
10. Cossack military repertoire;
11. Genre songs related to choreography.
Everyone knows the conquering power of Russian folk songs. They have the property not only to penetrate deep into the soul, but also to cause empathy. Historical folk songs are valuable because they reflect the real events of past years. Passed down from generation to generation without significant changes, they have preserved plots and characters, forms and means of expression for many centuries.
The themes of historical songs are diverse and multifaceted: wars, campaigns, popular uprisings, incidents from the life of kings, statesmen, leaders of rebellions. According to them, one can judge the attitude of the people to what is happening, their priorities and moral values. So, people reacted with deep sorrow to the execution of the rebel Emelyan Pugachev, the intercessor of the oppressed peasants, the “dear father”:
Folk dances.
It is incalculable how many different dances and dances existed in Rus' and still exist in modern Russia. They have a wide variety of names: sometimes according to the song they dance to (“Kamarinskaya”, “Seni”), sometimes according to the number of dancers (“Steam Room”, “Four”), sometimes the name determines the picture of the dance (“Wattle”, “Gate” ). But in all these very different dances there is something in common, characteristic of Russian folk dance in general: this is the breadth of movement, boldness, special cheerfulness, poetry, a combination of modesty and simplicity with great self-esteem.
National cuisine.
Russian cuisine has long been widely known throughout the world. Originally Russian food products include: caviar, red fish, sour cream, buckwheat, rye groats, etc.
The most famous dishes of the Russian national menu are jelly, cabbage soup, fish soup, pancakes, pies, pies, bagels, pancakes, kissel (oatmeal, wheat and rye), porridge, kvass, sbiten. Since most of the days of the year - from 192 to 216 in different years - were considered fasting (and these fasts were observed very strictly), it was natural to expand the assortment of the Lenten table. Hence the abundance of mushroom and fish dishes in Russian cuisine, the tendency to use various vegetable raw materials - grains (porridge), vegetables, wild berries and herbs (nettles, gouts, quinoa, etc.).
Moreover, such well-known from the tenth century. vegetables like cabbages, turnips, radishes, peas, cucumbers were cooked and eaten - whether raw, salted, steamed, boiled or baked - separately from one another. Therefore, for example, salads and especially vinaigrettes have never been characteristic of Russian cuisine and appeared in Russia already in the 19th century. as a borrowing from the West.
For a long period of development of Russian national cuisine, the process of cooking was reduced to cooking or baking products in a Russian oven, and these operations were necessarily carried out separately. What was intended for boiling was boiled from beginning to end, what was intended for baking was only baked. Thus, Russian folk cuisine did not know what combined or even different, combined or double heat treatment was.
The heat treatment of food consisted in heating with the heat of a Russian stove, strong or weak, in three degrees - “before bread”, “after bread”, “in the free spirit” - but always contactless with fire and either with a constant temperature kept at the same level, or with falling, decreasing temperature as the oven gradually cools down, but never with rising temperature, as in stovetop cooking. That is why the dishes always turned out not even boiled, but rather stewed, which is why they acquired a very special taste. Not without reason, many dishes of old Russian cuisine do not make the proper impression when they are cooked in other temperature conditions.
Great people.
Princess Olga is the first woman and the first Christian among Russian rulers, the first Russian saint.
Vladimir Svyatoslavich - united all the Eastern Slavs, the holy baptist of Rus', Vladimir the Red Sun of Russian epics.
Yaroslav the Wise - founded Yaroslavl, initiated the creation of "Russian Truth" - the first known code of laws in Rus', a saint.
Vladimir Monomakh - organized the defense of Rus' from the Polovtsy, under him came the last "golden age" of a united Kievan Rus.
Yuri Dolgoruky - the founder of Moscow, under him the rise of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus began.
Alexander Nevsky - defeated the Swedes on the Neva and the Germans in the Battle of the Ice, the patron saint of Rus' and the Russian army.
Dmitry Donskoy - united the Moscow and Vladimir principalities, defeated the Golden Horde in the Battle of Kulikovo, saint.
Ivan III the Great - united most of the Russian lands around Moscow and made it the "Third Rome", put an end to the dependence of Rus' on the Horde.
Ivan IV the Terrible - the first Tsar of All Rus', ruled for more than 50 years (longest in Russia), doubled the country's territory, adding the Volga region and the Urals.
Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky - folk heroes, organizers and leaders of the Second Zemsky militia, put an end to the Time of Troubles.
Peter I the Great - the first Emperor of Russia, founded the navy and the new capital - Petersburg, annexed a significant part of the Baltic states.
Alexander II the Liberator - carried out the Great Reforms, including the abolition of serfdom, annexed Primorye and most of Central Asia.
Ermak Timofeevich - Cossack ataman and folk hero, defeated the Siberian Khanate, initiating the annexation of Siberia to Russia.
Alexander Suvorov - an invincible commander, won more than 60 battles, a hero of the Russian-Turkish wars, fought the Russian army through the Alps.
M. Lomonosov is the first Russian natural scientist of world importance, encyclopedist, chemist and physicist.
P.M. Tretyakov is a philanthropist, has collected the largest collection of Russian art, the founder of the Tretyakov Gallery.
A.S. Pushkin is the most famous Russian poet and writer, "the sun of Russian poetry."
G.K. Zhukov - one of the greatest commanders of the Second World War, led the largest operations, took Berlin.
Yu.A. Gagarin is the first person in world history to fly into outer space.
Coat of arms, flag, anthem.
For the first time, the double-headed eagle as a symbol appeared in Russia more than 500 years ago on the official seal of Ivan III in 1497. He personified the power and independence of the state, and also symbolized the transfer of the heritage of Byzantium to the Russian state. Since then, significant changes have been made to the appearance of the coat of arms of Russia. From the end of the 15th century, the Byzantine coat of arms appeared on the seals of the Moscow sovereign - a double-headed eagle, it is combined with the former Moscow coat of arms - the image of George the Victorious. Thus, Rus' confirmed the continuity from Byzantium. During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the eagle receives symbols of power: a scepter and an orb. Under Emperor Peter I, the emblem eagle, according to heraldic rules, began to be depicted as black. The eagle has become not only an adornment of state papers, but also a symbol of strength and power. The large state emblem of the Russian Empire was introduced in 1857 by decree of Emperor Alexander II. It is a symbol of the unity and power of Russia. Around the double-headed eagle are the coats of arms of the territories that are part of the Russian state.
On July 10, 1918, the V All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers', Peasants', Soldiers' and Cossacks' Deputies adopted the first Constitution of the RSFSR, which officially approved its first coat of arms. With minor changes, this coat of arms lasted until 1991.
The modern State Emblem of the Russian Federation of the 1993 sample was adopted in December 2000. The State Emblem of the Russian Federation is a quadrangular, with rounded lower corners, pointed at the tip, a red heraldic shield with a golden double-headed eagle that raised its spread wings. The eagle is surmounted by two small crowns and above them by one large crown connected by a ribbon. In the right paw of the eagle is a scepter, in the left - orb. On the chest of the eagle in a red shield is a silver rider in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon, overturned and trampled by a horse. Now, as before, the double-headed eagle symbolizes the power and unity of the Russian state.
The first flag of Rus' was the red flag. Under the red cloth, the squads of the Prophetic Oleg and Svyatoslav went on campaigns. The first attempt to introduce an all-Russian flag was a banner with the face of Christ. Under this flag, Dmitry Donskoy won the Battle of Kulikovo.
The appearance of the tricolor flag coincided with the beginning of the unification of Russia. For the first time, the white-blue-red flag, which meant the unity of Great, Little and White Rus', was raised on the first Russian warship Orel, launched in 1667.
Peter I is now recognized as the legitimate father of the tricolor.
On January 20, 1705, he issued a decree according to which a white-blue-red flag should be raised on “all merchant ships”, he himself drew a pattern and determined the order of horizontal stripes. The white color of the flag now personified nobility, duty and purity, blue - fidelity, chastity and love, and red - courage, generosity and strength. In 1858, Alexander II approved a sketch of a new flag of Russia, and on January 1, 1865, a nominal royal decree was issued, in which the colors black, orange (gold) and white are already directly called the “state colors of Russia”. Such a flag existed until 1883. culture, ancient Slavic custom
The revolution of 1917 abolished the former paraphernalia of the state. In 1918, the combat red flag was approved as the national one. For more than 70 years, this banner has flown over the Russian Federation.
On August 22, 1991, an extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR decided to consider the red-blue-white flag (tricolor) as the official symbol of Russia. This day is celebrated in Russia as the Day of the State Flag of the Russian Federation.
Every nation on earth is a biosocial and cultural-historical phenomenon. Each nation has made its own special contribution to civilizational processes. On this path, a lot has been done by the Russians. But the main thing that fell to the Russians is to unite the vast Eurasian expanses from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean into a single historical, socio-cultural and at the same time ethnically diverse space. This is an outstanding cultural and civilizational phenomenon of Russians.
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FEDERAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION
AUTONOMOUS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
"Eurasian Open Institute"
Kolomna branch
Test
in the course of cultural studies
on the topic: Features of Russian culture
2nd year student 24MB group
Kozlov Oleg Vladimirovich
Head Kruchinkina N.V.
Kolomna, 2010
Introduction
The culture of Russian civilization, its formation
Russian culture as an object of study
Essential features of Russian national culture
General trends and features of the development of modern global culture and the culture of Russia
Conclusion
List of used literature
Introduction
History of Russian culture, its values, role and place in world culture in the early 90s. 20th century aroused great interest both as a subject of scientific study and as a training course. A lot of scientific and educational literature appeared, covering our history and culture. Its comprehension was mainly based on the works of Russian thinkers. Spiritual Renaissance end of the 19th - first quarter of the 20th centuries. However, by the end of the 90s. this interest began to wane. Partly because the sense of novelty of previously forbidden ideas has been exhausted, and a modern, original reading of our cultural history has not yet appeared.
The purpose of the work is to study the features of Russian culture.
Work tasks:
To study the formation of Russian culture;
Expand the basic concepts;
Highlight the features of Russian national culture;
To study the development of Russian culture at the present stage.
The culture of Russian civilization, its formation
Our culture began to stand out as a special type within the framework of Christian civilization in the 9th-11th centuries. during the formation of the state among the Eastern Slavs and their introduction to Orthodoxy.
A geopolitical factor had a great influence on the formation of this type of culture - Russia's middle position between the civilizations of the West and the East, which served as the basis for its marginalization, i.e. the emergence of such border cultural regions and layers, which, on the one hand, did not adjoin any of the known cultures, and on the other hand, represented a favorable environment for diverse cultural development.
The most frequently distinguished features of Russian civilization include the autocratic form of state power, or, as the historian M. Dovnar-Zapolsky defined this type of power, “patrimonial state”; collectivist mentality; subordination of society to the state” (or “dualism of society and state power”), an insignificant amount of economic freedom.
As for the stages of development of Russian civilization, there are different points of view. Some scientists believe that from the IX century. and to the present time in that area, which is called Russia, there was one civilization. In its development, several stages can be distinguished, differing in special typological features, which allows us to qualify them as independent historical and cultural communities: Ancient Rus' (IX-XIII centuries), Muscovy (XIV-XVII centuries), Imperial Russia (from the XVIII century . and to this day).
Other researchers believe that by the XIII century. there was one "Russian-European", or "Slavic-European" civilization, and from the XIV century. - another: "Eurasian", or "Russian".
The dominant form of integration of the "Russian-European" civilization was (as in Europe - Catholicism) Orthodoxy, which, although it was accepted and spread in Rus' by the state, was largely autonomous in relation to it.
The Russian Orthodox Church for a long time was dependent on the Patriarch of Constantinople, and only in the middle of the 15th century. gained actual independence.
The ancient Russian state itself was a confederation of fairly independent state formations, politically held together only by the unity of the princely family, after the collapse of which at the beginning of the 12th century. they acquired full state sovereignty.
Orthodoxy set a normative-value order common to Rus', the only symbolic form of expression of which was the Old Russian language.
The princes of Kyiv could not rely, like the Roman or Chinese emperors, on a powerful military-bureaucratic system or, like the Achaemenid shahs, on a numerically and culturally dominant ethnic group. They found support in Orthodoxy and carried out the construction of statehood to a large extent as a missionary task of converting the Gentiles.
In the first centuries of ancient Russian statehood, in many formal cultural and value-oriented features, it can be regarded as a “child” zone of Byzantine culture. However, in most essential forms of the socio-political structure and life activity, the Old Russian civilization was closer to Europe, especially Eastern.
It had a number of common features with the traditional societies of Europe at that time: the urban character of the “titular” culture, marking the society as a whole; the predominance of agricultural production; "military-democratic" nature of the genesis of state power; the absence of the syndrome of a servile complex (pervasive slavery) when an individual comes into contact with the state.
At the same time, Ancient Rus' had a number of common features with traditional Asian-type societies:
the absence in the European sense of private property and economic classes;
the dominance of the principle of centralized redistribution, in which power gave birth to property;
the autonomy of communities in relation to the state, which gave rise to significant opportunities for socio-cultural regeneration;
evolutionary character of social development.
On the whole, Old Russian civilization, on a Slavic-pagan basis, synthesized some features of European socio-political and production-technological realities, Byzantine mystical reflections and canons, as well as Asian principles of centralized redistribution.
Geopolitical, as well as economic factors predetermined the emergence of several subcultures in the ancient Russian civilization - southern, northern and northeastern.
The southern subculture was focused on the Asian "steppe". The Kyiv princes even preferred to form a squad guard from the mercenaries of the tribal association "black hoods", the remnants of the Turkic nomads - Pechenegs, Torks, Berendeys, who settled on the Ros River. During the Tatar-Mongol invasion, the Kiev subculture ceased to exist.
The Novgorod subculture was aimed at partners in the Hanseatic League, representing the trading islands of European civilization. If the Novgorodians resorted to mercenaries, then, as a rule, they became the Varangians. The Novgorod subculture, which survived during the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke and strengthened its European identity, degraded after the annexation of Novgorod to Moscow in the 15th century.
Russian culture as an object of study
Concepts Russian culture , Russian national culture , Russian culture - can be considered as synonyms, or as independent phenomena. They reflect different states and components of our culture. It seems that when studying Russian culture, the focus should be on the culture itself, the cultural traditions of the Eastern Slavs as a union of tribes, Russians, Russians. The culture of other peoples in this case is of interest as a result and process of mutual influence, borrowing, dialogue of cultures. In this case, the concept Russian culture synonymous with Russian national culture . concept Russian culture wider, as it includes the history of the formation and development of the culture of the Old Russian state, individual principalities, multinational state associations - the Moscow State, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation. In this context, Russian culture acts as the main backbone element of the culture of a multinational state. The multinational culture of Russia can be typified on various grounds: confessional (Orthodox, Old Believers, Catholics, Muslims, etc.); according to the economic structure (agricultural culture, cattle breeding, hunting), etc. It is very unproductive to ignore the multinational nature of the culture of our state, as well as the role of Russian culture in this state.
The study of national culture is not only an educational task. It is closely connected with another - no less important - to grow bearers of Russian culture, followers of its traditions, which will contribute to its preservation as a part of world culture, expanding the boundaries of Russian culture, and the dialogue of cultures.
Oh, bright and beautifully decorated Russian land! You are glorified by many beauties: you are famous for many lakes, locally revered rivers and springs, mountains, steep hills, high oak forests, clear fields, marvelous animals, various birds, countless great cities, glorious decrees, monastery gardens, temples of God and formidable princes, boyars honest, many nobles. You are full of everything, Russian land, O True Christian Faith!
These lines, imbued with deep love for their land, form the beginning of an ancient literary monument. Word about the death of the Russian land . Unfortunately, only an excerpt has been preserved, which was found as part of another work - Tale of the life of Alexander Nevsky . Time of writing Words - 1237 - early 1246
Each national culture is a form of self-expression of the people. It reveals the features of the national character, worldview, mentality. Any culture is unique and goes through its own, inimitable way of development. This fully applies to Russian culture. It can be compared with the cultures of the East and West only to the extent that they interact with it, influence its genesis and evolution, and are connected with Russian culture by a common destiny.
Attempts to understand the national culture, to determine its place and role in the circle of other cultures are associated with certain difficulties. They can be subdivided into the following: a strong attraction of researchers to a comparative approach, a constant attempt to compare our culture and the culture of Western Europe and almost always not in favor of the first; ideologization of specific cultural and historical material and its interpretation from various positions, during which some facts are brought to the fore, and those that do not fit into the author's concept are ignored.
When considering the cultural-historical process in Russia, three main approaches are clearly traced.
The first approach is represented by supporters of the unilinear model of world history. According to this concept, all the problems of Russia can be solved by overcoming the civilizational, cultural lag or modernization.
Proponents of the second proceed from the concept of multilinear historical development, according to which the history of mankind consists of the history of a number of original civilizations, one of which includes the Russian (Slavic - N.Ya. Danilevsky or Orthodox Christian - A. Toynbee) civilization. Moreover, the main features soul each civilization cannot be perceived or deeply understood by representatives of another civilization or culture, i.e. is unknowable and not reproducible.
The third group of authors tries to reconcile both approaches. These include the well-known researcher of Russian culture, the author of a multi-volume work Essays on the history of Russian culture P.N. Milyukov, who defined his position as a synthesis of two opposite constructions of Russian history, of which one brought forward the similarity of the Russian process with the European one, bringing this similarity to the point of identity, and the other proved the Russian originality, to the point of complete incomparability and exclusivity . Milyukov occupied a conciliatory position and built the Russian historical process on the synthesis of both features, similarity and originality, emphasizing the features of originality somewhat sharper than similarities . It should be noted that identified by Milyukov at the beginning of the 20th century. approaches to the study of the cultural-historical process of Russia retained, with some modifications, their main features until the end of our century.
Essential features of Russian national culture
There are specific features of Russian culture from ancient times to the 20th century:
Russian culture is a historical and multifaceted concept. It includes facts, processes, trends that testify to a long and complex development both in geographical space and in historical time. The remarkable representative of the European Renaissance, Maxim Grek, who moved to our country at the turn of the 16th century, has an image of Russia that is striking in depth and fidelity. He writes about her as a woman in a black dress, sitting thoughtfully "by the road." Russian culture is also "on the road", it is formed and developed in constant search. History bears witness to this.
Most of the territory of Russia was settled later than those regions of the world in which the main centers of world culture developed. In this sense, Russian culture is a relatively young phenomenon. Moreover, Rus' did not know the period of slavery: the Eastern Slavs went directly to feudalism from communal-patriarchal relations. Due to its historical youth, Russian culture faced the need for intensive historical development. Of course, Russian culture developed under the influence of various cultures of the countries of the West and the East, which historically outstripped Russia. But perceiving and assimilating the cultural heritage of other peoples, Russian writers and artists, sculptors and architects, scientists and philosophers solved their problems, formed and developed domestic traditions, never limiting themselves to copying other people's samples.
The long period of development of Russian culture was determined by the Christian-Orthodox religion. For many centuries, temple building, icon painting, and church literature became the leading cultural genres. Until the 18th century, Russia made a significant contribution to the world artistic treasury through spiritual activities associated with Christianity.
The specific features of Russian culture are determined to a large extent by what the researchers called the “character of the Russian people,” all researchers of the “Russian idea” wrote about this, and faith was called the main feature of this character. The alternative "faith-knowledge", "faith-reason" was decided in Russia in specific historical periods in different ways, but most often in favor of faith.
General trends and features of the development of modern global culture and the culture of Russia
One of the most important problems for modern culture is the problem of traditions and innovation in the cultural space. The stable side of culture, the cultural tradition, thanks to which the accumulation and transmission of human experience in history, gives new generations the opportunity to update previous experience, relying on what was created by previous generations. In traditional societies, the assimilation of culture occurs through the reproduction of patterns, with the possibility of minor variations within the tradition. Tradition in this case is the basis for the functioning of culture, greatly complicating creativity in the sense of innovation. Actually, the most "creative" process of traditional culture in our understanding, paradoxically, is the very formation of a person as a subject of culture, as a set of canonical stereotypical programs (customs, rituals). The transformation of these canons themselves is quite slow. Such are the culture of primitive society and later traditional culture. Under certain conditions, the stability of cultural tradition can be attributed to the need for the stability of the human collective for its survival. However, on the other hand, the dynamism of culture does not mean the abandonment of cultural traditions in general. It is hardly possible to have a culture without traditions. Cultural traditions as historical memory are an indispensable condition not only for the existence, but also for the development of culture, even if it has a large creative (and at the same time negative in relation to tradition) potential. As a living example, one can cite the cultural transformations of Russia after the October Revolution, when attempts to completely negate and destroy the previous culture led in many cases to irreparable losses in this area.
Thus, if it is possible to speak of reactionary and progressive tendencies in culture, then, on the other hand, it is hardly possible to imagine the creation of culture “from scratch”, completely rejecting the previous culture, tradition. The issue of traditions in culture and the attitude to cultural heritage concerns not only the preservation, but also the development of culture, that is, cultural creativity. In the latter, the universal organic is merged with the unique: each cultural value is unique, whether it is a work of art, an invention, etc. In this sense, replication in one form or another of what is already known, already created earlier - is the dissemination, and not the creation of culture. The need for the spread of culture does not seem to need proof. The creativity of culture, being a source of innovation, is involved in the contradictory process of cultural development, which reflects a wide range of sometimes opposite and opposing tendencies of a given historical era.
At first glance, culture, considered from the point of view of content, is divided into various areas: customs and customs, language and writing, the nature of clothing, settlements, work, education, the economy, the nature of the army, socio-political structure, legal proceedings, science, technology. , art, religion, all forms of manifestation of the "spirit" of the people. In this sense, the history of culture acquires paramount importance for understanding the level of development of culture.
If we talk about modern culture itself, then it is embodied in a huge variety of created material and spiritual phenomena. These are new means of labor, and new food products, and new elements of the material infrastructure of everyday life, production, and new scientific ideas, ideological concepts, religious beliefs, moral ideals and regulators, works of all kinds of art, etc. At the same time, the sphere of modern culture, upon closer examination, is heterogeneous, because each of its constituent cultures has common boundaries, both geographical and chronological, with other cultures and eras.
Since the twentieth century, the distinction between the concepts of culture and civilization has become characteristic - culture continues to carry a positive meaning, and civilization receives a neutral assessment, and sometimes even a direct negative meaning. Civilization, as a synonym for material culture, as a fairly high level of mastery of the forces of nature, of course, carries a powerful charge of technical progress and contributes to the achievement of an abundance of material goods. The concept of civilization is most often associated with the value-neutral development of technology, which can be used for a variety of purposes, and the concept of culture, on the contrary, has become as close as possible to the concept of spiritual progress. The negative qualities of civilization usually include its tendency to standardize thinking, orientation towards absolute fidelity to generally accepted truths, its inherent low assessment of the independence and originality of individual thinking, which are perceived as a "social danger". If culture, from this point of view, forms a perfect personality, then civilization forms an ideal law-abiding member of society, content with the benefits provided to him. Civilization is increasingly understood as a synonym for urbanization, crowding, the tyranny of machines, as a source of dehumanization of the world. In fact, no matter how deeply the human mind penetrates into the secrets of the world, the spiritual world of man himself remains largely mysterious. Civilization and science by themselves cannot provide spiritual progress; culture is necessary here as the totality of all spiritual education and upbringing, which includes the entire spectrum of intellectual, moral and aesthetic achievements of mankind.
In the general case, for modern, primarily world culture, two ways of solving the crisis situation are proposed. If, on the one hand, the resolution of the crisis tendencies of culture is supposed to be on the path of traditional Western ideals - rigorous science, universal education, reasonable organization of life, production, a conscious approach to all phenomena of the world, changing the guidelines for the development of science and technology, i.e., increasing the role of the spiritual and the moral improvement of man, as well as the improvement of his material conditions, then the second way to resolve crisis phenomena involves the return of the human race or to various modifications of religious culture or to forms of life more “natural” for man and life - with limited healthy needs, a sense of unity with nature and space, forms of human being free from the power of technology.
Philosophers of the present and the recent past take one position or another with respect to technology, as a rule, they associate technology (understood quite broadly) with the crisis of culture and civilization. The interplay of technology and modern culture is one of the key issues to consider here. If the role of technology in culture is largely clarified in the works of Heidegger, Jaspers, Fromm, then the problem of the humanization of technology remains one of the most important unsolved problems for all mankind.
One of the most interesting moments in the development of modern culture is the formation of a new image of culture itself. If the traditional image of world culture is associated primarily with the ideas of historical and organic integrity, then the new image of culture is increasingly associated, on the one hand, with ideas of a cosmic scale, and on the other hand, with the idea of a universal ethical paradigm. It should also be noted the formation of a new type of cultural interaction, expressed primarily in the rejection of simplified rational schemes for solving cultural problems. The ability to understand foreign culture and points of view, critical analysis of one's own actions, recognition of foreign cultural identity and foreign truth, the ability to include them in one's position and recognition of the legitimacy of the existence of many truths, the ability to build dialogic relations and compromise are becoming increasingly important. This logic of cultural communication presupposes corresponding principles of action.
In Russia, the beginning of the 90s of the last century is characterized by the accelerated disintegration of the single culture of the USSR into separate national cultures, for which not only the values of the common culture of the USSR, but also the cultural traditions of each other turned out to be unacceptable. The sharp opposition of different national cultures led to an increase in cultural tension and caused the collapse of a single socio-cultural space.
The culture of modern Russia, organically connected with the previous periods of the country's history, found itself in a completely new political and economic situation, which radically changed many things, primarily the relationship between culture and power. The state has ceased to dictate its requirements to culture, and culture has lost a guaranteed customer.
Since the common core of cultural life as a centralized system of government and a unified cultural policy has disappeared, determining the paths for further cultural development has become the business of the society itself and the subject of sharp disagreements. The range of searches is extremely wide - from following Western models to an apology for isolationism. The absence of a unifying cultural idea is perceived by a part of society as a manifestation of a deep crisis in which Russian culture found itself by the end of the 20th century. Others see cultural pluralism as the natural norm of a civilized society.
If, on the one hand, the elimination of ideological barriers created favorable opportunities for the development of spiritual culture, then, on the other hand, the economic crisis experienced by the country, the difficult transition to market relations, increased the danger of commercialization of culture, the loss of national features in the course of its further development. The spiritual sphere generally experienced an acute crisis in the mid-1990s. The desire to direct the country towards market development has led to the impossibility of the existence of individual areas of culture, objectively in need of state support.
At the same time, the division between elite and mass forms of culture, between the youth environment and the older generation continued to deepen. All these processes are unfolding against the backdrop of a rapid and sharp increase in uneven access to the consumption of not only material, but cultural goods.
For the above reasons, the first place in culture began to be occupied by the mass media, called the "fourth power".
In modern Russian culture, incompatible values and orientations are strangely combined: collectivism, catholicity and individualism, egoism, huge and often deliberate politicization and demonstrative apathy, statehood and anarchy, etc.
If it is quite obvious that one of the most important conditions for the renewal of society as a whole is the revival of culture, then specific movements along this path continue to be the subject of fierce discussions. In particular, the role of the state in the regulation of culture becomes a subject of dispute: should the state interfere in the affairs of culture, or will culture itself find means for its survival. Here, apparently, the following point of view has been formed: providing freedom to culture, the right to cultural identity, the state takes upon itself the development of strategic tasks of cultural construction and the responsibility for the protection of the cultural and historical national heritage, the necessary financial support for cultural values. However, the specific implementation of these provisions continues to be questionable. The state, apparently, is not fully aware that culture cannot be left at the mercy of business, its support, including education, science, is of great importance for maintaining the moral and mental health of the nation. Despite all the contradictory characteristics of the national culture, society cannot allow separation from its cultural heritage. A decaying culture is little adapted to transformations.
Various opinions are also expressed about the ways of developing culture in modern Russia. On the one hand, it is possible to strengthen cultural and political conservatism, as well as to stabilize the situation on the basis of ideas about Russia's identity and its special path in history. However, this is fraught with a return to the nationalization of culture. If in this case there will be automatic support for cultural heritage, traditional forms of creativity, then, on the other hand, foreign influence on culture will inevitably be limited, which will greatly complicate any aesthetic innovations.
On the other hand, in the context of Russia's integration under outside influence into the world system of economy and culture and its transformation into a "province" in relation to global centers, it can lead to the dominance of alien tendencies in domestic culture, although the cultural life of society in this case will also be more stable account of the commercial self-regulation of culture.
In any case, the key problem remains the preservation of the original national culture, its international influence and the integration of cultural heritage into the life of society; integration of Russia into the system of universal culture as an equal participant in world artistic processes. Here, state intervention in the cultural life of the country is necessary, since only in the presence of institutional regulation it seems possible to fully use the cultural potential, radically reorient the state cultural policy, and ensure the accelerated development of the domestic cultural industry within the country.
Numerous and very contradictory tendencies are manifested in modern domestic culture, partially indicated above. In general, the current period of development of national culture is still transitional, although it can be stated that certain ways out of the cultural crisis have also been outlined.
Conclusion
Russian national culture
Russian culture is certainly a great European culture. It is an independent and original national culture, the custodian of national traditions, values, a reflection of the peculiarities of the national character. Russian culture in the process of its formation and development has experienced the influence of many cultures, absorbed some elements of these cultures, reworked and rethought them, they became part of our culture as its organic component.
Russian culture is neither the culture of the East nor the culture of the West. We can say that it is an independent type of culture. As a result of various reasons, Russian culture has not fully realized its possibilities, its potential.
Unfortunately, the experience of various transformations in Russia is complicated by the fact that any changes were made by force or by a sharp breakdown, replacement, denial, rejection of the existing cultural tradition. The cultural history of the country has repeatedly confirmed in practice the disastrous nature of such an approach, which caused not only the destruction of the previous culture, but also led to a conflict of generations, a conflict of supporters new and antiquities. Another important task is to overcome the inferiority complex that is formed in part of our society in relation to their country and culture. It also doesn't help you move forward. The response to it are manifestations of nationalism and a sharp rejection of any borrowings.
Russian culture testifies: with all the inconsistencies in the Russian soul and Russian character, it is difficult to disagree with the famous lines of F. Tyutchev: “Russia cannot be understood with the mind, cannot be measured with a common yardstick: it has become special - you can only believe in Russia”
Russian culture has accumulated great values. The task of the current generations is to preserve and increase them.
List of used literature
1.Literature of Ancient Rus'. Reader. M., 2005.
2.Milyukov P.N. Essays on the history of Russian culture: In 3 vols. M., 2003. Vol. 1.
.Polishchuk V.I. Culturology: Textbook. - M.: Gardariki, 2007. indicating the topic right now to find out about the possibility of obtaining a consultation.
Good day, dear friends! Andrey Puchkov is on the line. Today I present to your attention a new article about modern Russian culture. This topic is included in the list of topics from the USE codifier in history. And so, it can be checked in tests. I must say right away that the article was written by our new author. So, this is, so to speak, a test of the pen. 🙂
So let's go!
As we all know, the 90s of the XX century were marked by the collapse of the USSR, and accordingly, the single culture that existed in the Soviet Union also broke up into smaller subcultures. And since there were more cultures, tension began to grow between them, since they were all inherently different and could no longer coexist together in a single socio-cultural space.
The new state, which was formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, found itself in completely new conditions - both economic and political. The modern culture of Russia also found itself in a new environment. On the one hand, she was no longer subject to the influence of censorship. On the other hand, culture has lost an important customer for itself - the state.
As a result of this (after all, no one else dictated the norms and rules!) Culture had to be re-formed by the people themselves, including the creation of a new core. Naturally, all this was the cause of many disagreements. As a result, opinions were divided into two camps: some believed that the lack of a common idea in culture is a crisis, while others said the opposite is a natural phenomenon.
Thus, the elimination of ideological barriers created fertile ground for the creation of a spiritual culture. But the severe economic crisis and the difficult transition to a market economy contributed to its commercialization. Spiritual culture experienced an acute crisis in the 90s, since it objectively needed the support of the state.And this support was not there because of the crisis.
At the same time, a sharp division took place between the elite and mass modern Russian culture, as well as between the older generation and the younger. At the same time, access to material and cultural goods grew unevenly, which made the formation of a new culture even more difficult. So what is the modern culture of Russia?
Music
In today's world, music is always a means of self-expression, almost always a hallmark, and rarely an indulgence of fashion. If we talk about modern Russian music and culture, then massively stormy meetings of new albums are a thing of the past. People in anticipation often switch to new performers for themselves, looking for new and new favorites; they rejoice at the new album, but without fanaticism, as, for example, in the days of Beatlemania. Listeners in general can be divided into two categories: connoisseurs and amateurs.
Connoisseurs buy albums, listen to them for hours, understand the biographies of singers and treat the act of listening to music as a sacrament. They all know about genres and lyrics, and will certainly point you to a mispronounced song title. Fans, on the other hand, can list the names of groups, perhaps they will remember the names of popular soloists, but they will not be able to call themselves adherents of any genre or group.
In fact, these are music lovers who listen to everything. Some even listen to the same thing for decades, something twenty years or more ago, reminiscent of their youth. It can be Yuri Vizbor, Mikhail Krug and Chopin at the same time - because Vizbor was sung in his school years, Krug was a student, and Schubert was played by his father in childhood.
This is where self-expression comes into play. It is impossible to constantly listen to the songs of one or several groups all your life or always listen to the classics, all the same, once rock “falls on the soul” and pop music ...
One can say about music as an image: traditionally, middle-aged people should love bards and classics, pensioners - classics and something “singing, melodic”. The 40-year-old rocker and the 65-year-old disco lover, although they meet more and more often, still remain exceptions to the rule in the eyes of young people.
Nostalgia for the Soviet Union covers a significant part of the population, plus lately one can often see nationalists. All of them are distinguished by their great love for the Soviet stage - Russian rock (like Aria and Nautilus) or bards (Tsoi, Vysotsky). Of these, those who are younger often listen to rap or modern Russian rock (Spleen, Grob).
Architecture
In architecture, in modern Russian culture, the loft style is gaining popularity - the interior of housing in a former factory building. Details in the loft style are very important - the interior spaces are decorated in the best traditions of the factory past - stairs, factory fixtures, various pipes, etc. - all this becomes an interior item. Outside, the building is practically no different from an ordinary factory, and most often it is those factory buildings that are ready to become a historical monument that are taken for housing. However, in Russia the old building is being demolished and a similar, stronger one is being built in its place.
Painting
The painting of modern Russian culture is characterized by somewhat gloomy currents. The tragic reflection of the events of Soviet history, characteristic of the “perestroika” years, has been replaced by the “exposing of ulcers” of modern reality. Images of people with the seal of moral, physical and spiritual degradation (Vasily Shulzhenko), images of man-animals (Geliy Korzhev, Tatyana Pazarenko), sometimes artists depict decay and destruction (V. Brainin), or simply gloomy city landscapes (A. Palienko) became popular. , V. Manokhin).
Painting by Vasily Shulzhenko
However, it is still impossible to choose any few styles that prevail over the rest. In the fine arts of modern Russia, by and large, all genres and trends are represented - from classical landscapes to post-impressionism. An important role in the restoration and development of artistic creativity was played by the artist I. S. Glazunov, rector of the Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.
Painting "Return". Artist Tatyana Nazarenko
It is widely believed that in the 90s there was a crisis of culture. And really, what associations do people have? People often recall the sharp reduction in state funding for cultural spheres, the low incomes of scientists and the outflow of highly qualified specialists from universities. However, few people remember the advantages.
For example, thanks to the fall of the USSR, art gained freedom, there was no censorship, and universities and other higher educational institutions were able to teach students according to their programs, and, finally, there was freedom of research for scientists. But along with this, according to the recollections of many, there is a negative influence of the West (films, books).
Along with this, there is a demolition of monuments erected under the Soviet Union. Another of the negative assessments can be drawn to the fact that many note the low quality of the translation of Western books and films that came to Russia along with perestroika.
Movie
As for the films of the 90s, as we could see above, opinions are divided into two camps. But what can be said about Russian cinema now? Recently, many cinema halls with modern technology and the latest equipment have been opened in Moscow. In addition, in Russia, thanks to the emergence of new directors, films began to be made, which, perhaps, are hardly inferior to those in the West.
The Russian film festival "Kinotavr" is held annually in Sochi, and the film festival of the CIS and Baltic countries in Anapa - "Kinoshock". Several Russian films have received international awards - the film "Playing the Victim" received the main prize of the Rome Film Festival in 2006, and the film "The Return" by Andrei Zvyagintsev won two "Golden Lions" at the Venice Film Festival. The film directed by Nikita Mikhalkov "12" also received the "Golden Lion" in Venice and was also nominated for an Oscar in 2008.
Despite the flourishing of pop culture in music and its focus on the needs of the masses, world-famous musicians and performers began to come to Russia. In 2012 and 2013 English rock musician Sting visited Russia, at the same time another English musician, Elton John, also came. In 2009, an important event for Russian music was the holding of the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.
In addition to a significant push in the field of cinema and music, the architectural image of the capital of Russia and other cities is gradually changing. From 1992-2006 monuments to A. A. Blok, V. S. Vysotsky, S. A. Yesenin, G. K. Zhukov, F. M. Dostoevsky were erected and memorials to the victims of political repressions were opened.
From this we can conclude that Russian culture has moved away from the standards familiar to the Soviet layman and reflects reality in a new way.
The culture of Russia is the culture of the Russian people, other peoples and nationalities of Russia and the states that preceded the modern Russian Federation; a set of formal and informal institutions, phenomena and factors affecting the preservation, production, transmission and dissemination of spiritual values (ethical, aesthetic, intellectual, civil, etc.) in Russia.
The culture of Ancient Rus' is characterized by the following features:
Slowness of the pace of development. An important role was played by the experience of previous generations, traditions.
Locality, isolation, disunity of Russian lands, caused by the lack of economic interests in the conditions of natural economy.
Patriotism, the cult of a strong and brave warrior-hero.
Very deep moral principles.
Strong influence of religion.
Dominance in the ideology of the religious worldview.
Despite the difference in the development of Rus' from Western European countries, Russian culture developed in the general mainstream of European culture.
Rostov Kremlin
Key features of cultural development in that period:
The need for self-identification of the Russian people and, as a result, the blurring of differences between individual principalities and the formation of a common Russian culture.
The rise of the Orthodox Church as the guardian of the cultural and political traditions of the Russian state. The end of doubling.
Rus''s self-isolation not only from Muslim, but also from Catholic countries.
Monument "Millennium of Russia"
The Russian Empire, due to historical circumstances, throughout its existence willingly borrowed many elements of Western European culture and customs. And as a result, in the understanding of the "Western" observer, the cultural level of the overwhelming population of Russia was not high. However, it is impossible to overestimate the contribution of leading Russian figures to world culture.
The culture of Russia is the cumulative culture of countries and nationalities living on the territory of the Soviet Union.
Theatrical art, cinematography, and fine arts developed intensively. In certain periods, the development of cultures of ethnic minorities and national cultures was encouraged.
The modern history of culture in Russia is connected with the restoration of elements of the culture of the Russian Empire and its integration into the cultural heritage of the USSR. Russia is actively restoring churches and religious customs, and the institution of patronage is being revived. In addition, values characteristic of Western and Eastern civilizations come into the existing culture of the USSR, for example, the traditions of popular culture of Western or tea ceremonies and cuisine of Eastern countries are introduced. There are many thematic festivals, exhibitions and events. In 2012, 77% of residents of Russian cities fully or basically agreed with the fact that there are enough cultural institutions (theaters, cinemas, galleries, libraries) in cities.
As the British sociology professor Hilary Pilkington notes in 2007: "There is a tendency to see Russia as a unique society that is made up of different cultural traditions, being not a 'hybrid' but a unique entity that has been created on the basis of many and different cultural influences"
The most widely spoken language in Russia is Russian. It is also the state language of the Russian Federation in accordance with Article 68 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. However, the number of speakers of eight more languages in the Russian Federation exceeds one million people.
The republics within the Russian Federation have the right to establish their own state languages and, as a rule, exercise this right: for example, in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, in addition to Russian, Abaza, Karachay, Nogai and Circassian languages have the status of a state language.
Despite the efforts made in many regions to preserve and develop local languages, in Russia the trend towards a language shift that emerged back in Soviet times persists, when Russian becomes the native language of non-Russian citizens, while a superficial knowledge of the mother language (the language of their ethnic group) becomes nothing more than a marker of ethnicity.
Cyrillic - a writing system and an alphabet for a language based on Old Slavonic Cyrillic (they talk about Russian, Serbian, etc. Cyrillic; it is incorrect to call the formal union of several or all national Cyrillic alphabets "Cyrillic alphabet"). The Old Church Slavonic Cyrillic alphabet (alphabet and writing system), in turn, is based on the Greek alphabet.
11 out of 28 Slavic languages have Cyrillic-based alphabets, as well as 101 non-Slavic languages that were previously unwritten or had other writing systems and were converted to Cyrillic in the late 1930s (see: list of languages with Cyrillic-based alphabets) .
Russian is one of the East Slavic languages, one of the largest languages in the world, including the most common of the Slavic languages. The Russian language originated from Old Russian, together with the Ukrainian and Belarusian languages [source not specified 1
Russian literature reflected not only aesthetic, moral and spiritual values and ideas; According to leading Russian thinkers, literature is also the philosophy of Russia.
Until the 18th century, secular literature practically did not exist in Russia. There are several monuments of ancient Russian literature of a religious or annalistic nature - The Tale of Bygone Years, The Tale of Igor's Campaign, The Prayer of Daniel the Sharpener, Zadonshchina, The Life of Alexander Nevsky and other lives. The authors of these works are currently unknown. Folk art of that period is represented by an original genre of epic, fairy tales.
Secular literature appeared in Russia only in the 17th century. The first known work of this kind is "The Life of Archpriest Avvakum" (despite the name, it cannot be called a religious work, since it was written by Avvakum himself, canonical lives were written only after the death of the saint).
In the 18th century, a galaxy of secular writers and poets appeared in Russia. Among them are the poets Vasily Trediakovsky, Antioch Kantemir, Gavriil Derzhavin, Mikhail Lomonosov; writers Nikolai Karamzin, Alexander Radishchev; playwrights Alexander Sumarokov and Denis Fonvizin. The dominant artistic style of literature at that time was classicism.
A. S. Pushkin
Among the most famous poets of Russia:
Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin
Mikhail Yurjevich Lermontov
Alexander Alexandrovich Blok
Sergey Yesenin
Anna Akhmatova
Vladimir Mayakovsky
and many others.
F. M. Dostoevsky
Among the most famous writers of Russia:
Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy
Ivan Alekseevich Bunin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov
Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
and many others.
Russian icon painting inherited the traditions of Byzantine masters. At the same time, their own traditions were born in Russia. The most comprehensive collection of icons is in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Russian icons were not mere imitations, but had their own style, and masters such as Andrey Rublev raised the level of icon painting to new heights.
V. M. Vasnetsov. "Bogatyrs". Oil. 1881-1898.
I. E. Repin. The Cossacks write a letter to the Turkish Sultan. Oil. 1880-1891.
M. A. Vrubel. "Seated Demon" Oil. 1890.
The first realistic portraits appeared in Russia in the 17th century, in the middle - the end of the 18th century such major painters as Levitsky and Borovikovsky appeared in Russia.
Since that time, Russian painting has followed global trends. Outstanding artists of the first half of the 19th century: Kiprensky, Bryullov, Ivanov (“The Appearance of Christ to the People”).
In the second half of the 19th century, realist painting flourished. The creative association of Russian artists "Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions" ("Wanderers") was founded, which included such great artists as Vasnetsov, Kramskoy, Shishkin, Kuindzhi, Surikov, Repin, Savrasov.
At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, the World of Art association operated. Its members or artists close to the movement were Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel, Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin, Nikolai Konstantinovich Roerich, Isaac Ilyich Levitan.
Socialist realism is the main artistic method used in the art of the Soviet Union starting in the 1930s; it was allowed, recommended or imposed (in different periods of the country's development) by state censorship, and therefore was closely associated with ideology and propaganda. It has been officially approved since 1932 by the party organs in literature and art. In parallel, unofficial art of the USSR existed. Representatives of social realism - V. I. Mukhina, A. A. Deineka, I. I. Brodsky, E. P. Antipova, B. E. Efimov. Works in the genre of socialist realism are characterized by the presentation of the events of the era, "dynamically changing in their revolutionary development." The ideological content of the method was laid down by dialectical materialist philosophy and the communist ideas of Marxism (Marxist aesthetics) in the second half of the 19th-20th centuries. The method covered all areas of artistic activity (literature, drama, cinema, painting, sculpture, music and architecture). It affirmed the following principles:
Describe reality "accurately, in accordance with the specific historical revolutionary development."
coordinate their artistic expression with the themes of ideological reforms and the education of workers in the socialist spirit.
Main article: Russian avant-garde
At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, Russia became one of the centers of avant-garde art.
Outstanding representatives of the avant-garde: Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Marc Chagall, Pavel Filonov. Common to the Russian avant-garde was the rejection of old forms of art in favor of a new one, more in line with the current moment of reality. A similar direction in the development of the thought of artists also existed in all other countries of Europe, while the art of America lagged behind in its development. In those years, for the first time since the time of Peter I, there was a definite connection between the fine arts of Russia and the fine arts of European countries. In the 1930s, with the growing influence of the style of socialist realism, this connection was broken. Many researchers associate the origins of the Russian avant-garde not so much with the revolution as with the industrial leap of that time.
In the 1950s and 1960s, some artists turned to the tradition of abstraction. Eliya Belyutin's New Reality studio worked most actively in this direction. In 1962, after the defeat of their exhibition in the Manege, "New Reality" becomes one of the centers of unofficial art in the USSR. The union lasted until 2000. The goal of the "New Reality" was the creation of contemporary art, and as a result of its activities - the organization of the New Academy.
The main artists of the New Reality group: Eliy Belyutin, Vladislav Zubarev, Lucian Gribkov, Vera Preobrazhenskaya, Anatoly Safokhin, Tamara Ter-Gevondyan.
In the 1960s, during the years of the Thaw, a circle of conceptual artists emerged on the territory of the former Soviet Union, many of whom have now received international recognition. Their art is a full-fledged in world art history and, in particular, in the history of international conceptual art. Artists such as Ilya Kabakov, Andrei Monastyrsky, Dmitry Prigov, Viktor Pivovarov are familiar not only in modern Russia, but also in Europe and America.
There are many art museums and galleries in Russia. Among the most famous are the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and the State Hermitage and the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Russian classical music contains the creative legacy of such great composers as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, the Mighty Handful of Composers, Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov, Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky. Among the Soviet composers, some of the most significant are: Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev, Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich, Aram Ilyich Khachaturian, Alfred Schnittke.
In Russian music, there are many world-famous classical works, including famous symphonies, concerts, ballets ("Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", "The Rite of Spring"), operas ("Boris Godunov", "Eugene Onegin", "Ivan Susanin") , suites ("Pictures at an Exhibition")
In the first half of the 20th century, such performers as Alexander Vertinsky and Leonid Utyosov were popular. In Soviet times, the so-called. "variety" popular music (Muslim Magomaev, Lev Leshchenko, Alla Pugacheva, Valery Leontiev, Iosif Kobzon).
Pop music has been developing in the USSR and Russia since the second half of the 20th century according to the Western prototype. It is popular primarily among the Russian-speaking population of the world. In Western countries, Russian pop musicians rarely achieve great commercial success (this was done, for example, by the Tatu group).
Concert of the rock band Nautilus Pompilius
Russian rock is a collective term for Russian-language rock music created first in the USSR, then in Russia and the CIS countries by various musicians and groups. The most famous groups: Aria, Time Machine, Aquarium, Nautilus Pompilius, Kino, Alice, DDT, Sounds of Mu, Chaif, Splin, Bi-2 ","Agatha Christie"
Russian rock groups were greatly influenced by Western rock music, as well as Russian author's song (Vladimir Vysotsky, Bulat Okudzhava), usually performed with an acoustic guitar.
The first jazz concert in the USSR took place in Moscow on October 1, 1922 at one o'clock in the afternoon on the stage of the Central College of Theater Arts (later - GITIS) in Maly Kislovsky Lane. It was a concert of "Valentin Parnakh's First Eccentric Jazz Orchestra in the RSFSR".
Famous bands and personalities: PPK, Parasense, Quarantine, KDD, Radiotrance, Transdriver, Psykovsky, Kindzadza, Enichkin. In the Soviet period, Eduard Artemiev, Nochnoi Prospekt, Ivan Sokolovsky worked in this genre.
Russian architecture follows a tradition whose roots were established in Byzantium, and then in the Old Russian state. After the fall of Kyiv, Russian architectural history continued in the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, the Novgorod and Pskov republics, the Russian kingdom, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and the modern Russian Federation.
civil architecture
The civil architecture of Russia has gone through several stages in its history. Before the revolution, the development of architecture corresponded to the trends of other countries: buildings were built in the style of classicism, baroque and others.
The eras of civil architecture in the USSR were named after the names of the rulers of the country: Stalin's houses, Brezhnev's, Khrushchev's. With the advent of Soviet power, the style of buildings changed - they became more monumental. However, later, when solving the problems of improving the living conditions of citizens of the USSR, a bet was made on the mass character of development. As a result, the architecture of the late USSR lost various decorative architectural elements, such as stucco, columns, arches, and others. There were so-called peeled houses. In response to the typical development of Russian cities, Eldar Ryazanov's film "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!" was released on television.
Currently, along with standard projects for the construction of mass housing, individual projects of residential buildings are also used.
Russian theatrical art is one of the most promising in the world. There are world famous theaters in Russia, such as the Mariinsky Theatre, the Bolshoi and the Maly Theatres.
Circus art is developed and popular in Russia. Among the famous circus performers: clowns Yuri Nikulin, Pencil, Oleg Popov; magicians (illusionists) Emil Kio and Igor Kio, trainers Vladimir Durov, brothers Edgard and Askold Zapashny.
Cinema
Already in April 1896, 4 months after the first Paris cinema screenings, the first cinematographic apparatus appeared in Russia. On May 4 (16), 1896, the first in Russia demonstration of the “Lumière cinematograph” took place in the theater of the St. Petersburg garden “Aquarium” - several films about the films were shown to the public during the intermission between the second and third acts of the vaudeville “Alfred Pasha in Paris”. In May, Camille Cerf makes the first documentary cinematographic filming in Russia of the celebrations in honor of the coronation of Nicholas II. Film screenings quickly became fashionable entertainment, and permanent cinemas began to appear in many large Russian cities. The first permanent cinema opened in St. Petersburg in May 1896 at 46 Nevsky Prospekt.
The first Russian feature films were adaptations of fragments of classical works of Russian literature (“The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov”, “The Idiot”, “The Fountain of Bakhchisaray”), folk songs (“Ukhar the Merchant”) or illustrated episodes from Russian history (“The Death of Ivan the Terrible”). ", "Peter the Great"). In 1911, the first full-length film in Russia, The Defense of Sevastopol, was released on the screens, jointly directed by Alexander Khanzhonkov Vasily Goncharov.
In 1913, on the wave of the general rise of the Russian economy, the rapid growth of the cinema industry begins, new firms are formed - including the largest film company I. N. Ermolyeva, among which more than 120 films were made such significant films as The Queen of Spades (1916) and Father Sergius (published in 1918) by Yakov Protazanov. During the First World War, the heyday of artistic Russian cinema falls. During this period, the outstanding film stylist Evgeny Bauer makes his main films, Vladimir Gardin and Vyacheslav Viskovskiy are actively working.
After the collapse of the USSR, cinema in Russia is in crisis: many film studios are experiencing financial difficulties. Film production in Russia is heavily influenced by American films. In the 1990s, the number of big-budget films is not large (there are such films as The Barber of Siberia and the Russian Riot). In the era of the 2000s, against the backdrop of economic growth, there is a qualitative and quantitative growth in the film industry.
Films produced in Russia and its predecessor countries are winners of major international film festivals such as Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Moscow.
Dozens of film festivals are held in Russia every year, among which the largest are the Moscow Film Festival (accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations) and Kinotavr.
Animation
Soviet animation is known all over the world, it is distinguished by the use of pastel colors, spirituality, kindness of content, and the presence of a strong educational component. The most famous studios of the USSR and Russia (Soyuzmultfilm, Tsentrnauchfilm, Kievnauchfilm) produced thousands of cartoons.
Film critics date the first Russian cartoon "Pierrot - Artists" to 1906, shot by the ballet master of the Mariinsky Theater Alexander Shiryaev.
The cartoon "Hedgehog in the Fog" by Yuri Norstein in 2003 in Tokyo was recognized as the best cartoon of all time according to a survey of 140 film critics and animators from different countries.
Wooden church in Kizhi
Paganism
Before the baptism of Rus' (988), the Russian Plain was dominated by pagan cults, which were characterized by polytheism, animism, the cult of ancestors, spirits and forces of nature. Many relics of paganism are preserved in the folk religion of Russians up to the present day, especially in rural areas (first of all, elements of funeral and memorial rites). Many non-Slavic peoples of Russia retained their ethnic religions, in particular shamanism, until the 19th-20th centuries.
Christianity
Orthodoxy
Orthodox Christianity is the most widespread religion in modern Russia. Came to Rus' from Byzantium.
Catholicism
Traditionally, Catholicism (not including Greek Catholics in western Ukraine and Belarus) in Russia (Russian Empire) was practiced by Russian subjects of Polish, German, Lithuanian and Latvian origin.
Since the late 1980s, there has been some growth in the number of adherents among people who do not have historical and family ties to Catholicism.
Protestantism
Protestantism was brought in by merchants, soldiers, and other visiting professionals from Germany soon after the Reformation. The first Lutheran church appeared in Moscow already in 1576. Protestant immigration from Europe continued in the future. In addition, Protestantism was historically widespread in the north-west of the country among the local population in the territories conquered from Sweden as a result of the Northern and Russian-Swedish wars. Restrictions (“golden cage”) on the part of the authorities, in particular, a strict ban on preaching in Russian, led to the closure of traditional Protestant communities along ethnic lines and the persecution of the spreaders of new teachings, such as Stunda, and then Baptism.
With the revival of churches after the collapse of the USSR, traditional Protestant communities that were previously ethnic (German, Estonian, Swedish, Finnish, etc.) are often replenished with people with completely different roots, in particular, Russians, which is caused, on the one hand, by a strong the decline of ethnic Germans and Finns due to repressions and mass emigration, on the other hand, the attractiveness of the doctrine and the favorable climate in the parishes. Noticeable activity and new trends, in particular, American, such as the Pentecostals.
The number of Protestants in Russia cannot be accurately determined. According to various sources, from 2% to 4% of the population consider themselves to be Protestants, while from 0.6% to 1.5% actively participate in religious life. This means that, according to a rough estimate, every hundredth inhabitant of the country is a conscious Protestant. Baptists are the most common, with an estimated congregation of at least 100,000.
As a noticeable contribution of Protestants to the culture of Russia, one can note the custom of putting up a New Year tree.
According to experts (during the last census, the question of religious affiliation was not asked), there are up to 14.5 million Muslims in Russia, if we count the total number of peoples historically associated with Islam. According to the Spiritual Board of Muslims of the European part of the Russian Federation, about 20 million Muslims live in Russia. However, sociologist Roman Silantiev considers these data to be clearly overestimated and estimates the real number of Muslims at 11-12 million people, which is not plausible, given that 16.2 million people live in Russia alone from the Caucasus. [unauthoritative source? 256 days]
The majority of Muslims live in the Volga-Ural region, as well as in the North Caucasus, in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Western Siberia. There are more than 6,000 mosques in Russia (in 1991 there were about a hundred).
Buddhism is traditional for three regions of Russia: Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia. According to the Buddhist Association of Russia, the number of people practicing Buddhism is 1.5-2 million people.
At present, many Buddhist schools are represented in Russia: Theravada, Japanese and Korean Zen, several directions of the Mahayana, and practically all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism that exist in the world.
The northernmost Buddhist Datsan in the world, built before the Revolution in Petrograd (Datsan Gunzechoinei), now serves as a tourist and cult center of Russian Buddhist culture. Preparations are underway to build a Buddhist temple in Moscow, which could unite Russian Buddhists around it in joint practice for the benefit all rational beings of Russia and the world.
The number of Jews is about 1.5 million. Of these, according to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FEOR), about 500 thousand live in Moscow, and about 170 thousand in St. Petersburg. There are about 70 synagogues in Russia.
Russian cuisine
The cuisine of Russia, like the culture of Russia, is a two-part entity. The first, and most significant, part of it is Russian cuisine, based on the Slavic traditions of Rus' with borrowings from other peoples, which eventually became part of the unified Russian state. In addition, the nobility, the intelligentsia and other people who have the opportunity to travel abroad, as well as foreigners, have brought many elements of foreign cuisine into modern Russian mass cuisine.
The second direction of Russian cuisine refers to the national traditions of the peoples and nationalities living in Russia. The cuisine of each nation has its own unique dishes and methods of their preparation, based on products cultivated and collected from ancient times in this territory, made using original kitchen utensils. Combined with local customs, religious rites and the opportunity to interact with modern civilization, the cuisines of the peoples of Russia make an invaluable contribution to its cultural heritage.
Among the most famous dishes of Russian cuisine are borscht, vinaigrettes, pies, pancakes, cheesecakes, cabbage soup, kvass, fruit drinks and others.
Drinking culture
In Russia, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is an acute social problem, it is worth noting that the consumption of strong, and not only, alcohol in large quantities began after the opening of drinking establishments during the reign of Peter I. Before that, alcohol consumption was extremely insignificant.
The consumption of alcoholic beverages has given Russia serious social problems associated with alcoholism and drunkenness.
Nevertheless, in terms of alcohol consumption per capita, Russia is in 18th place, behind such countries as Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Germany. At the same time, the diet is significantly different - for example, in Europe dry red wines prevail, and in Russia - vodka and beer.
Sports of Russia
Traditionally, in Russian culture, there are two areas for the development of sports: the sport of great achievements and physical education.
Both areas are actively developing in Russia. Many sports schools are leading in the world, which proves high achievements in the most prestigious sports competitions such as the Olympic Games, World and European Championships. Physical education and a healthy lifestyle are promoted in the country. For example, mass sports competitions are held, such as the Cross of Nations and the Ski Track of Russia.
And also in Russia, traditions of empathy for participants in sports competitions have been developed. The most popular among fans are team winter and summer sports such as football, hockey, basketball and others. Individual summer and winter sports such as biathlon, tennis, boxing and others are also popular.
Culture of the peoples of Russia
Russia is a multinational state. In the Russian Federation, in addition to Russians, who make up more than 80 percent of the population, there are about 180 other peoples. The most noticeable influence was exerted by the culture based on the Russian language, however, the cultural heritage of other peoples also plays a role in the development of the all-Russian culture.
State policy of the Russian Federation in the field of culture
On December 24, 2014, for the first time in the history of the Russian Federation, the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin No. 808 approved the Fundamentals of the State Cultural Policy of the Russian Federation (OGKP RF), prepared by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
The introduction of this document (OGKP RF) states:
“Russia is a country of great culture, huge cultural heritage, centuries-old cultural traditions and inexhaustible creative potential.
Due to its geographical position, multinationality, multi-confessionalism, Russia has developed and is developing as a country that unites two worlds - East and West. The historical path of Russia determined its cultural identity, features of the national mentality, the value bases of the life of Russian society.
A unique historical experience of mutual influence, mutual enrichment, mutual respect of different cultures has been accumulated - this is what the Russian statehood has naturally been built on for centuries.
The key, unifying role in the historical consciousness of the multinational Russian people belongs to the Russian language, the great Russian culture.
Orthodoxy played a special role in shaping the value system of Russia. Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, other religions and beliefs traditional for our Fatherland also contributed to the formation of the national and cultural identity of the peoples of Russia. Neither religion nor nationality divides and should not divide the peoples of Russia...
The culture of Russia is as much its property as its natural resources. In the modern world, culture is becoming a significant resource for socio-economic development, which allows us to ensure the leading position of our country in the world.”
In the section “Traditional and Non-Traditional Values” of the document (OGKP RF), the topic of preserving a single cultural space in Russia is touched upon, requiring the rejection of state support for cultural projects that impose alien values:
“...Those whose activities are contrary to cultural norms have no reason to apply for state funding - no matter how brilliant they may consider themselves. The ideology of "multiculturalism", whose detrimental effect has already been experienced by Western Europe, is not for Russia.
- "Fundamentals of the state cultural policy of the Russian Federation" (approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin No. 808 of December 24, 2014).
On September 19, 2013, at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club on the topic “Russia’s Diversity for the Modern World,” Vladimir Putin spoke, in particular, about multiculturalism:
“... We see how many Euro-Atlantic countries actually took the path of abandoning their roots, including Christian values, which form the basis of Western civilization. Moral principles and any traditional identity are denied: national, cultural, religious or even sexual. A policy is being pursued that puts a large family and a same-sex partnership, faith in God or faith in Satan on the same level. The excesses of political correctness go so far as to seriously talk about the registration of parties that aim to promote pedophilia. People in many European countries are ashamed and afraid to talk about their religious affiliation. Holidays are even canceled or they are called something else, shamefacedly hiding the very essence of this holiday - the moral basis of these holidays. And they are trying to aggressively impose this model on everyone, on the whole world. I am convinced that this is a direct path to degradation and primitivization, a deep demographic and moral crisis ... "
Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.
About Russia as a civilization in the document (OGKP RF), in particular, it is said:
“... Humanity is a collection of large communities that differ from each other in their attitude to the surrounding world, their value systems and, accordingly, their culture. To designate these communities, different authors use the terms "superethnos", "culture", "civilization".
Examples include the modern West, or the Islamic world, or China - the differences between them are quite obvious.
Within the framework of this approach, Russia is considered as a unique and original civilization, not reducible to either the “West” or the “East”. Nor to "Eurasia", understood as a kind of bridge between the neighbors "left" and "right" ... "
- "Fundamentals of the state cultural policy of the Russian Federation" (approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin No. 808 of December 24, 2014).
On April 19, 2014, while still at the stage of discussion of the draft “Fundamentals of the State Cultural Policy of the Russian Federation” (OGKP RF), foreign media criticized the project, where the main thesis of the document was declared the expression “Russia is not Europe”, allegedly confirmed by all history of the country and people, as well as numerous cultural and civilizational differences between representatives of Russian (Russian) culture and other communities
The Russian people are representatives of the East Slavic ethnic group, the indigenous inhabitants of Russia (110 million people - 80% of the population of the Russian Federation), the largest ethnic group in Europe. The Russian diaspora has about 30 million people and it is concentrated in such states as Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, in the countries of the former USSR, in the USA and EU countries. As a result of sociological research, it was found that 75% of the Russian population of Russia are followers of Orthodoxy, and a significant part of the population does not identify themselves with any particular religion. The national language of the Russian people is Russian.
Each country and its people have their own significance in the modern world, the concepts of folk culture and the history of the nation, their formation and development are very important. Each nation and its culture is unique in its own way, the color and originality of each nation should not be lost or dissolved in assimilation with other nations, the younger generation should always remember who they really are. For Russia, which is a multinational power and home to 190 peoples, the issue of national culture is quite acute, due to the fact that in recent years its erasure is especially noticeable against the background of the cultures of other nationalities.
(Russian folk costume)
The first associations that arise with the concept of "Russian people" are, of course, the breadth of the soul and fortitude. But the national culture is formed by people, it is these character traits that have a huge impact on its formation and development.
One of the distinguishing features of the Russian people has always been and is simplicity, in the old days, Slavic houses and property were very often plundered and completely destroyed, hence the simplified attitude to everyday life. And of course, these trials, which befell the long-suffering Russian people, only tempered his character, made him stronger and taught him to get out of any life situations with his head held high.
Kindness can be called another of the traits that prevail in the character of the Russian ethnos. The whole world is well aware of the concept of Russian hospitality, when "they will feed and drink, and put to bed." The unique combination of such qualities as cordiality, mercy, compassion, generosity, tolerance and, again, simplicity, very rarely found in other peoples of the world, all this is fully manifested in the very breadth of the Russian soul.
Diligence is another of the main features of the Russian character, although many historians in the study of the Russian people note both her love for work and huge potential, and her laziness, as well as complete lack of initiative (remember Oblomov in Goncharov's novel). But all the same, the efficiency and endurance of the Russian people is an indisputable fact, against which it is difficult to argue. And no matter how scientists all over the world would like to understand the “mysterious Russian soul”, it is unlikely that any of them can do it, because it is so unique and multifaceted that its “zest” will forever remain a secret for everyone.
(Russian meal)
Folk traditions and customs are a unique connection, a kind of "bridge of times", linking the far past with the present. Some of them are rooted in the pagan past of the Russian people, even before the baptism of Rus', little by little their sacred meaning was lost and forgotten, but the main points have been preserved and are still being observed. In villages and towns, Russian traditions and customs are honored and remembered to a greater extent than in cities, which is associated with a more isolated lifestyle of urban residents.
A large number of rituals and traditions are associated with family life (this includes matchmaking, wedding celebrations, and the baptism of children). Carrying out ancient ceremonies and rituals guaranteed a successful and happy life in the future, the health of descendants and the general well-being of the family.
(Colorized photograph of a Russian family in the early 20th century)
Since ancient times, Slavic families have been distinguished by a large number of family members (up to 20 people), adult children, having already married, remained to live in their own home, the father or elder brother was the head of the family, they all had to obey and implicitly fulfill all their orders. Usually, wedding celebrations were held either in the fall, after the harvest, or in the winter after the Feast of the Epiphany (January 19). Then the first week after Easter, the so-called "Red Hill", was considered a very good time for a wedding. The wedding itself was preceded by a matchmaking ceremony, when the groom’s parents came to the bride’s family together with his godparents, if the parents agreed to give their daughter in marriage, then the bride was held (acquaintance of the future newlyweds), then there was a rite of conspiracy and handshake (the parents decided on issues of dowry and the date of the wedding festivities ).
The rite of baptism in Rus' was also interesting and unique, the child had to be baptized immediately after birth, for this godparents were chosen, who would be responsible for the life and well-being of the godson all his life. At the age of one, the baby was put on the inside of a sheepskin coat and sheared, cutting a cross on the crown, with such a meaning that impure forces would not be able to penetrate his head and would not have power over him. Every Christmas Eve (January 6), a slightly grown godson should bring kutya (wheat porridge with honey and poppy seeds) to his godparents, and they, in turn, should give him sweets.
Russia is a truly unique state, where, along with the highly developed culture of the modern world, they carefully honor the ancient traditions of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, which go back centuries and keep the memory of not only Orthodox vows and canons, but also the most ancient pagan rites and sacraments. And to this day, pagan holidays are celebrated, people listen to the signs and centuries-old traditions, remember and tell their children and grandchildren ancient traditions and legends.
There is a belief that on the night of Ivan Kupala (from July 6 to 7), once a year, a fern flower blooms in the forest, and whoever finds it will gain untold wealth. In the evening, large bonfires are kindled near rivers and lakes, people dressed in festive old Russian robes lead round dances, sing ritual chants, jump over the fire, and let wreaths go with the flow, hoping to find their soul mate.
Shrovetide is a traditional holiday of the Russian people, celebrated during the week before Lent. A very long time ago, Shrovetide was rather not a holiday, but a rite, when the memory of departed ancestors was honored, appeasing them with pancakes, asking them for a fertile year, and spending the winter by burning a straw effigy. Time passed, and the Russian people, longing for fun and positive emotions in the cold and dull season, turned the sad holiday into a more cheerful and daring celebration, which began to symbolize the joy of the imminent end of winter and the arrival of the long-awaited warmth. The meaning has changed, but the tradition of baking pancakes has remained, exciting winter entertainments have appeared: sledding and horse-drawn sledge rides, the straw effigy of Winter was burned, all the Shrovetide week a relative went to pancakes either to mother-in-law or to sister-in-law, everywhere there was an atmosphere of celebration and fun , various theatrical and puppet performances were held on the streets with the participation of Petrushka and other folklore characters. One of the most colorful and dangerous entertainments on Maslenitsa was holding fisticuffs, they were attended by the male population, for whom it was an honor to take part in a kind of “military business”, testing their courage, courage and dexterity.
Christmas and Easter are considered especially revered Christian holidays among the Russian people.
Christmas is not only a bright holiday of Orthodoxy, it also symbolizes the rebirth and return to life, the traditions and customs of this holiday, filled with kindness and humanity, high moral ideals and the triumph of the spirit over worldly concerns, in the modern world are re-opened to society and rethought by it. The day before Christmas (January 6) is called Christmas Eve, because the main dish of the festive table, which should consist of 12 dishes, is a special porridge "sochivo", consisting of boiled cereals poured with honey, sprinkled with poppy seeds and nuts. You can sit down at the table only after the first star appears in the sky, Christmas (January 7) is a family holiday, when everyone gathered at the same table, ate a festive treat and gave each other gifts. 12 days after the holiday (until January 19) are called Christmas time, earlier at this time the girls in Rus' held various gatherings with fortune-telling and rituals to attract suitors.
Bright Easter has long been considered a great holiday in Rus', which people associated with the day of general equality, forgiveness and mercy. On the eve of Easter celebrations, Russian women usually bake Easter cakes (festive rich Easter bread) and Easter, clean and decorate their homes, young people and children paint eggs, which, according to ancient legend, symbolize the drops of blood of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross. On the day of Holy Easter, smartly dressed people, meeting, say “Christ is Risen!”, Answer “Truly Risen!”, Then follows a triple kiss and the exchange of festive Easter eggs.
