Nasirdin Apandi
By: Mikhorban
Nasirdin Apandi was a historical figure who lived during the 12th century and was known for possessing
extraordinary wisdom and a strong sense of humor and justice. Apandi means teacher, a knowledgeable person
and a respectful title. Nasirdin is the name. In Xingjiang, an autonomous region of China, almost every household
knows about Nasirdin Apandi.
Stories about Nasirdin Apandi pass through generations in the different ethnic minorities in Xingjiang over
the past centuries, and are particularly well-known amongst the Uyghur people. The legends about his life tell
of Apandi's ability to help the poor while frustrating greedy plutocrats with his wit. His legends was spread
as folk tales and were made it into movie and animation. These folk tales are ingenious and witty in story plots,
presented in an easily understood and comprehensive way and cover a huge variety of subject matters. For the different
ethnic people, Apandi is the embodiment of wisdom and happiness. He is diligent, courageous, humorous, optimistic,
wise and upholds justice.
Many peoples of the Near, Middle East and Central Asia claim Nasirdin as their own (e.g., Turks,Afghans,Iranians,and Uzbeks).
The Uyghurs believe that he was from Xinjiang, while the Uzbeks believe he was from Bukhara. In Central Asia, he is commonly known
as "Apandi". The Central Asian peoples also claim his local origin, as do Uyghurs. In 1979,Shanghai Animation Film Studio
produced a 13-episode Nasirdin related animation called 'The Story of Afanti'"阿凡提的故事 , which became one of the
most influential animations in China's history.
Nasirdin was walking in the bazaar with a large group of followers. Whatever Nasirdin did, his followers immediately copied. Every
few steps Nasirdin would stop and shake his hands in the air, touch his feet and jump up yelling "Hu Hu Hu!". So his followers would
also stop and do exactly the same thing.One of the merchants, who knew Nasirdin, quietly asked him: "What are you doing my old friend?
Why are these people imitating you?" "I have become a Sufi Sheikh," replied Nasirdin. "These are my Murids (spiritual seekers); I am
helping them reach enlightenment!" "How do you know when they reach enlightenment?" "That’s the easy part! Every morning I count them.
The ones who have left – have reached enlightenment!"
1970s, Apandi's stories were made into a film in China and shown on TV. As the language is uyghur for the story. I translated one
of the stories and put subtitles on the video, which would be easy to understand. The story is about Apandi bought a tree shade from one of
the rich, who oppressed the poor. The purpose is to give the rich landlord a lesson, so that to stop him from plundering money from the poor.
What we call in English should be "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth".
Buying the shade of a tree