The literature and art of Tajikistan are inextricably linked with the entire Central Asian region, which gave the world great names in the field of literature and art - Rudaki, Avicenna, Hisrow, Saadi, Jami and others.
The founder of classical Persian-Tajik literature, Abu-Abdullo Rudaki, lived in the 9th-10th centuries. In his works (lyrical, philosophical, didactic) he preached humanism, love of freedom, patriotism. Rudaki (857-941) was very popular among the people. Of what the poet wrote, only about 2 thousand poetic lines have come down to us. But they also give a vivid idea of his poetic talent and the depth of philosophical reflections.
In the X-XI centuries. the activity of one of the greatest poets of world literature Firdousi (934-1020) proceeded. He created the ingenious epic "Shahname", numbering 120 thousand poetic lines. In it, Firdousi draws the heroic history of his people, sings of his struggle for the independence of his native land. The poet's work had a great influence on the development of Persian-Tajik literature.
An important role in the formation of philosophical lyrics was played by Abu-Ali Ibn-Sina (Avicenna, 980-1037). The great scientist and poet fought against obscurantism, glorified science, the inquisitive human mind. His ideas were later developed by the poet and philosopher Nosir Khisrow (1004-1088). In the poems "Saodatnoma" ("The Book of Happiness"), "Rushnoinoma" ("The Book of Light") he praised working people, sharply condemned kings, usurers, saints, preached ideas about the dignity of man and the significance of science. In XlII century. Saadi was an outstanding poet. His works "Bustan" and "Gulistan" earned him the fame of a teacher of life.
Two centuries later, the work of Jami (1414-1492) began. In seven poems "Haft Avrang" ("Seven Thrones") and a collection of parables "Bekharestan" ("Spring Garden"), he defended the ideas of humanism.
In the 19th century A great contribution to the development of literature was made by the largest educator of Tajikistan, Ahmad Donish (1827-1897). In a sharp satirical work "Biography of the emirs of noble Bukhara" the poet spoke of the need to overthrow the power of the rich.
In the last century, poets, prose writers, playwrights grew up in the republic. These include Sadriddin Aini, Abulkasim Lakhuti, Mirzo Tursunzade, Mirsaid Mirshakar, Boki Rahimzade and others whose works are known in the country and abroad. Readers are presented the novels "Slaves", "Dokhunda", the story "Death of the usurer" by S. Aini, the poems "We won", "The crown and the banner", "The Bogatyr-Peace" by A. Lakhuti. The modern poet of the republic Mirzo Tursunzade is widely known.
Many newspapers and magazines are published in the republic in Tajik, Uzbek and Russian. The local publishing house produces textbooks, political, fiction, children's and popular science literature. The largest State Public Library named after Firdousi: it has more than 1 million books.
For centuries, the love of singing, dancing, and theatrical art has been living among the people. Even in the XIV-XV centuries. musicians, singers, tightrope walkers performed at city festivities. Later mass performances with the participation of storytellers, dancers, magicians and comedians who performed short plays and sketches became popular. The Tajik professional theater, which arose in 1929, inherited the best traditions of the folk theater, joined the Soviet and world theatrical culture. There are many theaters in the republic. On the stage, in addition to the classics, there are national plays, operas, ballets. The performances "Dokhunda", "Saodat", the operas "The Revolt of Vose", "Pulat and Gilru", "Bakhtiyor and Nisso", the ballets "Two Roses", "Leyli and Majnun", "Dilbar" and others are enjoying success.
The cinematography is also developing. The Tajik studio shoots feature and documentary chronicles, dubs the works of the fraternal republics. She released many noteworthy paintings: "Dokhunda", "I met a girl", "The fate of the poet", "Zumrat".
Tajiks are very musical. Their complex vocal and instrumental works - maqoms - have survived to this day. In folk musical culture, the main role belongs to the song. A folk song is monophonic and most often consists of two parts - the actual song and the song-dance. Singers and dancers are accompanied on various instruments: string instruments - dutors and rubobs, wind instruments - nay and karnay, percussion - tavlak and doira. In the last century, Tajik music has been enriched with new genres. Leading composers - F. Saliev, Y. Sabzanov, Sh. Saifiddinov - write symphonic works, and 3. Shakhidi, F. Shakhobov, Sh. Sakhibov create Tajik songs.
Crafts and crafts have been common among Tajiks since ancient times. Magnificent monuments of woodcarving of the 10th-12th centuries discovered in the Zeravshan valley, the remains of patterned fabrics found in the castle on Mount Mug, ornamented ceramics, amazing painting of ancient Penjikent are evidence of the wonderful artistic traditions of the people.
In the cities of Tajikistan before the revolution, there were quarters of weavers, potters, coppersmiths, blacksmiths, woodcarvers and ganch (alabaster). In some areas, patterned paper, silk and semi-silk fabrics were produced. They were woven mostly by men on a complex loom, sometimes with four or eight pedals. In mountain villages, women used simple looms to weave lint-free woolen and paper rugs, while men used primitive foot looms to make paper fabric and wool for dressing gowns and trousers. Khujand, Ura-Tube, Karatag, Gissar stood out as large craft centers.
Pottery was well developed. In the cities, on the plain, it was done by men who made dishes on a potter's wheel. In the mountainous regions, the circle was not used - women sculpted various vessels with their hands, building up clay rollers one on top of the other. Pottery skills of Tajiks were passed down from generation to generation.
In our time, in connection with the use of beautiful and comfortable ready-made dishes, pottery, as well as some other types of handicraft production, are little practiced. And yet, some ancient crafts, especially artistic ones, are preserved.
The most common now is embroidery on clothes (waist scarves, skullcaps, women's dresses) and on household items (wall embroidery - suzani, decorative bedspreads - ruijo, tablecloths - dastorkhon). Two artistic techniques can be traced in the national pattern. One is based on the alternation of large bright spots, repeated in different versions. It is used in the ornamentation of fabrics, ceramics and sometimes architectural painting. Another technique puts forward the texture of the material, its chiaroscuro graphic design, while the pattern forms a flexible line of a geometric or floral ornament. It is used by carvers on wood and ganch, when processing metal utensils.
Experienced craftsmen decorate the buildings of theaters, clubs, teahouses with ganch carving, modeling, and painting.
In addition to applied art, easel painting, graphics, and sculpture are now developing.