Round table "The East and Eastern Culture in the Poetry of S. Yesenin", dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the poet's birth
On November 26, 2025, the Department of Russian Philology at the Institute of Philology at B. Osmonov JAGU University held a roundtable discussion dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian poet Sergei Yesenin, titled "The East and Eastern Culture in the Poetry of Sergei Yesenin."
The relevance of turning to Eastern themes is dictated not only by a desire to more deeply understand the uniqueness of Yesenin's world, but also by the need to recognize in the poet's work the intercultural dialogue that remains exceptionally significant today. Yesenin's poetry reflects an interest in Islamic tradition and images of Eastern nature, cities, and people. The East appears in his works as a world opposed to Russia, yet at the same time internally consonant with it, complementing its spiritual space.
New horizons for studying the Eastern component in the poet's work opened up after his works were translated into languages around the world, including those of the Eastern Muslim cultural circle. These translations allowed for a fresh perspective on the themes of "Persian Motifs," revealed their universal poetic nature, and heightened international interest in Yesenin.
The Director of the Institute of Philology, Candidate of Philological Sciences and Associate Professor Ch.A. Asylbekova, attended the event organized within the framework of the department’s academic and research activities. In her address to the participants, she emphasized the relevance of studying Eastern imagery and symbolism in Yesenin’s poetry, noting that such events contribute to deepening students’ literary scholarship, developing analytical thinking, and fostering a lasting interest in national literature.
Ch.A. Asylbekova expressed her gratitude to the teachers and students who took the initiative and highlighted the importance of holding scholarly and creative meetings that bring together young researchers.
She also wished the participants of the round table a productive discussion, engaging presentations, meaningful exchanges of ideas, and successful completion of the event, expressing confidence that it would make a significant contribution to the development of students’ research culture.
Students from the RLL-1-23 group presented papers during the event. A. Askarbekova presented her study, "Yesenin and His Interest in the East. Yesenin's 'Persian Motifs' in the Kyrgyz Language," in which she explored the reception of the Eastern cycle in the Kyrgyz cultural context. A. Amanova, in her work, "The Use of Turkisms in Yesenin's Poetic Lexicon," analyzed vocabulary of Eastern origin and its functional and stylistic role in the poet's poetic language.
Students of the RLL-1-25 group - Ryabikina K., Ismatova N., Buranova Z. and Mekhmankhodzhaeva D. - expressively read poems from the cycle "Persian Motifs", demonstrating the intonational and figurative richness of Yesenin's work.
The following key issues were considered and discussed during the roundtable:
1. The contribution of Eastern themes to understanding the evolution of Yesenin's poetic worldview.
2. The interaction of Russian and Eastern cultures in the poet's artistic system.
3. A new understanding of Yesenin's personality through the prism of Eastern motifs.
4. Artistic innovation and the influence of the East on the poet's poetics.
5. The continued reader demand for the Eastern cycle.
The event concluded with a performance of a romance based on the poems of S. Yesenin by students from the RLL-1-25 group, M. Zhusupova and K. Ryabikina, which added an emotional touch to the meeting and emphasized the vibrant sound of Yesenin's poetry.
The roundtable discussion was moderated by Zhagu Associate Professor D. T. Aiylchieva.
