Go Deep in Lijiang: Manuscripts record Naxi history

Dongba ancient literature manuscripts reflect the wisdom of Naxi ancestors, recording the civilization of the nation and witnessing the epic of Naxi people. They were hailed as the living memory of Naxi history.

The Dongba culture is the sum of natural and social sciences created and accumulated by the Naxi people. With a history of more than 1,000 years, it mainly contains Dongba characters, scriptures, paintings, music, ritual dance, and more.

The Dongba characters, the only living hieroglyphics in the world, are still in use nowadays among the Naxi people. The characters are more like paintings, with their shapes showing the meaning.

Source: Lijiang Foreign Affairs Office and Dongba Cultural Research Institute; Trans-editing by Mo Yingyi