Nakhi (Naxi, Naqxi, Na-khi, Nashi, Nahi, Moxiayi, Mosha)
Total population
300,000
Regions with significant populations
China  (Sichuan · Yunnan)
Language(s)
Naxi
Religion(s)
Dongba, Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism
Related ethnic groups
Tibetans, Qiang, Mosuo

The Nakhi (Chinese: 纳西族; pinyin: Nàxī Zú) are an ethnic group inhabiting the foothills of the Himalayas in the northwestern part of Yunnan Province, as well as the southwestern part of Sichuan Province in China. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Peoples_Republic_of_China. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... Yunan redirects here. ... Naxi is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by some 300,000 people mostly concentrated in the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County (Lìjiāng NàxÄ«zú Zìzhìxiàn 丽江纳西族自治县) of the province of Yunnan, China. ... A Dongba shaman conducting a ritual. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... Taoism (Daoism) is the English name referring to a variety of related Chinese philosophical and religious traditions and concepts. ... The Tibetan people are a people indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the West to Myanmar and China in the East. ... The Qiang people (羌族; Pinyin: qiāng zú) are an ethnic group. ... The Mosuo (also spelled Moso) (Chinese: 摩梭; pinyin: Mósuō) are a small ethnic group living in the Yunnan Province in China, south of Sichuan Province. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... For the movie Himalaya, see Himalaya (film). ... Yunan redirects here. ... For other province-level divisions, see Political divisions of China. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... For other province-level divisions, see Political divisions of China. ...

The Nakhi are thought to have come originally from Tibet, and until recently maintained overland trading links with Lhasa and India. They were brought to the attention of the world by two men: the American botanist Joseph Rock, and the Russian Taoist doctor Peter Goullart, both of whom lived in Lijiang and travelled throughout the area during the early 20th century. Peter Goullart's book Forgotten Kingdom describes the life and beliefs of the Nakhi and neighbouring peoples, while Joseph Rock's legacy includes diaries, maps, and photographs of the region. This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ... Lhasa (Tibetan: ལྷ་ས་; Wylie: lha sa; Lhasa dialect IPA: [; Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), sometimes spelled Llasa, is the traditional capital of Tibet and the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Joseph Francis Charles Rock (1884 – 1962) was an Austrian-American explorer, geographer, linguist and botanist. ... Taoism (Daoism) is the English name referring to a variety of related Chinese philosophical and religious traditions and concepts. ... Lijiang City (Chinese: 丽江市; Hanyu Pinyin: ) refers to an administrative division comprising of urban and rural areas in northwestern Yunnan Province, China. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

The Nakhi form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. The official Chinese government classification classes the Mosuo as part of the Nakhi people. However, despite similar origins and very striking resemblances from a linguistic point of view, the two groups are now culturally distinct, the Nakhi more influenced by Han Chinese culture, the Mosuo more influenced by Tibetan culture. The Mosuo (also spelled Moso) (Chinese: 摩梭; pinyin: Mósuō) are a small ethnic group living in the Yunnan Province in China, south of Sichuan Province. ...

Culture

Nakhi culture is largely a mixture of Tibetan and Han Chinese influences, with some indigenous elements. Especially in the case of their musical scores, it acts as the foundation of the Nakhi literature.

Music

A Nakhi musician playing the Baisha.

Nakhi music is 500 years old, and with its mixture of literary lyrics, poetic topics, and musical styles from the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, as well as some Tibetan influences, it has developed its own unique style and traits. There are three main styles: Baisha, Dongjing, and Huangjing, all using traditional Chinese instruments. Image File history File links An old musician playing the Baisha music. ... Image File history File links An old musician playing the Baisha music. ... For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ... Northern Song in 1111 AD Capital Kaifeng (960–1127) Linan (1127–1276) Language(s) Chinese Religion Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy Emperor  - 960-976 Emperor Taizu  - 1126–1127 Emperor Qinzong  - 1127–1162 Emperor Gaozong  - 1278–1279 Emperor Bing History  - Zhao Kuangyin taking over the throne of the Later Zhou... Capital Dadu Language(s) Mongolian Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1260-1294 Kublai Khan  - 1333-1370 (Cont. ... Dongjing musicians Dongjing music (洞经音乐 dongjing yin yue) or donjiang is a type of Chinese ritual music traditionally performed by the Nakhi people of Yunnan. ...

The origin of Baisha music lies in a gift from the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan. Upon his expedition to Dali, he had difficulty crossing the Golden Sand River, and received help from Mailiang, the chief of the Nakhi people. To show his appreciation, Kublai Khan left half of his band and many musical scores as a gift to the chief. "Baisha Fine Music" is one of ancient China's few large-scale, classical orchestral forms of music and has twenty four tunes, locally known as qupai. Although archaic, simple, and elegant in style, modern Baisha is exquisite, euphonious, and energetic in character. Capital Dadu Language(s) Mongolian Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1260-1294 Kublai Khan  - 1333-1370 (Cont. ... For other uses, see Kublai Khan (disambiguation). ... Dali (大理 pinyin: Dàlǐ) was a Bai kingdom centered in what is now Yunnan Province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

Taoist in origin, and fused with some indigenous elements, Dongjing music was introduced to the Nakhi from the central plains during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and today it is the most well-preserved musical form in China. In addition to its intrinsic stateliness, purity, and elegance, Dongjing music incorporated the local musical elements and styles. Originally reserved for the nobles, the local passion for music overcame this restriction. For other uses, see Ming. ... Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Territory of Qing China in 1892 Capital Shengjing (1636-1644) Beijing (1644-1912) Language(s) Chinese Manchu Mongolian Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1636-1643 Huang Taiji  - 1908-1912 Xuantong Emperor Prime Minister  - 1911 Yikuang  - 1911-1912 Yuan Shikai History  - Establishment of the Late...

Art and architecture

Absorbing architectural styles of the Han and the Tibetan, the houses of the Nakhi are built in a unique vernacular style of one courtyard with five skylights, which have a crude and simple appearance, but with elaborate and delicate patterns on casements and doors. Languages Chinese languages Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... The Tibetan people are a people indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the West to Myanmar and China in the East. ...

The temples, though looking very staid and ordinary from the outside, are decorated on the interior with carvings on poles, arches and idols of gods. The decorations include depictions of episodes from epics, dancers, warriors, animals and birds, and flowers. The mural paintings depict Dongba gods, and are derived from Tibetan styles. A good example is the Delwada Temple.

Festivals

The Nakhi celebrate the annual Torch Festival on the 24th and 25th of the sixth month of the Lunar calendar, which corresponds approximately to July 8th-9th, and the Sanduo Festival on February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

According to legend, Sanduo is a war god who defends the local people. In ancient times a hunter discovered a strange stone on Jade Dragon Mountain, and carried the stone home. On his way home, he had to put the stone down for a rest, because it was extremely heavy. When he decided to continue his trip, he could no longer lift the stone, and many thought that it was the embodiment of a god.

The Nakhi later built a temple to honour this god, whom they later named Sanduo, and depicted as an immortal in a white coat and a white helmet, carrying a white spear and riding a white horse. They believed that Sanduo would protect the local people and their land. Because Sanduo was thought to have been born in the year of the goat, a goat is sacrificed at his festival. The Sheep ( 羊 ) (also known as Goat) is the eighth sign of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. ...

Customs

Nakhi dongjing musicians in Lijiang

Cremation has been a tradition since ancient times, although burial was adopted in certain Nakhi areas during the late Qing Dynasty. Religious scriptures were chanted at the funeral ceremony to expiate the sins of the dead. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1800x1350, 499 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Music Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1800x1350, 499 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Music Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ...

Among the Nakhi in Yongning County in Yunnan and the Yanyuan County in Sichuan, existing remnants of a matriarchal family structure were evident until the beginning of democratic reform, when it changed to a patriarchal structure. Yunan redirects here. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ...

As the heads of the family, the women gave inheritance to the children either through the mother, or to her nephews through her brothers. This is called matrilineal decent, where one belongs to one's mother's lineage. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

A matriline is a line of descent from a female ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are female. In a matrilineal descent They also acted as the main work-force; thus they were respected at home and in the Nakhi society.

In 2005, Kuang Jianren, a famous Chinese film script writer produced "Snow Bracelet", a film based on the life of (Nakhi) Naxi ethnic minorities in Yunan.

Nakhi music

Main article: Music of Yunnan

The Nakhi have several indigenous forms of music, including baisha xiyue and the Chinese-inspired dongjing. Yunnan is a province in southeast China. ... Baisha xiyue (Chinese for Baisha fine music) is one of the two surviving forms of traditional music of the Naxi (also spelled Nakhi or Nahi) people of Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China, known as Naxi ancient music. ... Dongjing musicians Dongjing music (洞经音乐 dongjing yin yue) or donjiang is a type of Chinese ritual music traditionally performed by the Nakhi people of Yunnan. ...

Dress

The Nakhi women wear wide-sleeved loose gowns accompanied by jackets and long trousers, tied with richly decorated belts at the waist. Sheepskin is worn slung over the shoulder. Especially in Ninglang County, the women wear short jackets and long skirts reaching the ground with several folds. Large black cotton turbans are worn around their heads, which are accompanied with big silver earrings. The men's costumes is much like that of Han Chinese. In modern times, traditional dress is rarely worn among the younger generation, since most of them prefer to wear Chinese dress. It is now usually only worn at cultural events and on special occasions. Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambswool. ...

The dress of the Dongba lamas resembles that of the Bön priests of Tibet; they wear conical hats like those of the lamas of the Black Hat sect, with a piece of red cloth. A Dongba shaman conducting a ritual. ... Not to be confused with Llama. ... Bön[1] (Tibetan: བོན་; Wylie: bon; Lhasa dialect IPA: [) is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. ... This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ...

Language and script

Nakhi ladies sitting around in Lijiang.

Dong Ba (top left) and Ge Ba (bottom) characters taken at the Baisha Frescoes Museum.

The Nakhi speak Naxi, a Sino-Tibetan language, and have used a variety of scripts in the past, notably the Dongba and the Geba scripts. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 331 KB) Naxi ladies sitting around in Lijiang (Yunnan prov. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 331 KB) Naxi ladies sitting around in Lijiang (Yunnan prov. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 618 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Dong Ba (top left) and Ge Ba (bottom) script from the Baisha Frescoses (白沙壁画）Museum in Baisha Village, Yunnan, China. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 618 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Dong Ba (top left) and Ge Ba (bottom) script from the Baisha Frescoses (白沙壁画）Museum in Baisha Village, Yunnan, China. ... Naxi is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by some 300,000 people mostly concentrated in the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County (Lìjiāng Nàxīzú Zìzhìxiàn 丽江纳西族自治县) of the province of Yunnan, China. ... Sino-Tibetan languages form a language family of about 250 languages of East Asia, in number of speakers worldwide second only to Indo-European. ...

Dongba

The earliest script used by the Nakhi, Dongba is an intriguing pictographic script developed by the Nakhi. Although beautiful, the Dongba script is difficult to interpret and takes many years to learn. Thus, it is not practical for daily use. Pictogram for public toilets A pictogram or pictograph is a symbol which represents an object or a concept by illustration. ... The Dongba are the shamans or priests of the Naxi people of southwestern China. ...

In the past, the Dongba (Nakhi scholar-priests) learnt the script, and would pass it on to future generations by oral instruction. With new generations losing interest in learning Dongba script from their fathers, it is now in danger of extinction.

With the establishment of the Dongba Culture Research Institute, affiliated to Yunan Provincial Social Science Institute, both Nakhi and Chinese scholars have tried to interpret existing scripts with help from numerous Dongba priests living in the remote rural villages.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, a Latin script was developed for the Naxi language, although it didn't gain popularity. Today, Chinese is in daily use as an official language of the Nakhi. Formerly spoken at home, Naxi is slowly disappearing, as young parents now usually speak Chinese at home to their children, thinking mastery of Chinese will benefit the future generation.

Geba

Structurally similar to the Chinese characters with some new inventions and simplified pictographs from the Dongba script, the Geba script was the result of Chinese cultural influence. Unlike Dongba, Geba was not as widely used, and it soon fell into disuse. Today, only Nakhi scholars do have some knowledge of the Geba script.

Written in horizontal lines running from left to right, the phonetic values of Geba symbols are not fixed. Instead, each user, who would also have been literate in Dongba, had a tendency to use one set of readings over another. Symbols can have either various phonetic values, or one phonetic value, which can be signified by a number of different graphs.

History

The Nakhi are believed to be the descendants of the nomadic Qiang, an ethnic group inhabiting the Tibetan plateau since ancient times. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Nakhi were known as the Mosha-yi, or the Moxie-yi. Only after communist rule in China did they call themselves Naxi, which means "people who worship the black things of the nation". The Qiang people (羌族; Pinyin: qiāng zú) are an ethnic group. ... The Sui Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; 581-619[1]) followed the Southern and Northern Dynasties and preceded the Tang Dynasty in China. ... For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ...

Frequently harassed by neighbouring tribes, the proto-Nakhi then moved to head of the Nujiang River from the Jinsha and then to the Along River in the present-day province of Sichuan in western China. After being pushed south by other conquering tribes, the Nakhi finally settled in Baisha and Lijiang by 3 CE. Baisha (Baksa in the Toisanese language, 白 沙 镇 ), in Taishan County, Guangdong Province, was the ancestral home of many of the first Canadian-Chinese. ... Lijiang City (Chinese: 丽江市; Hanyu Pinyin: ) refers to an administrative division comprising of urban and rural areas in northwestern Yunnan Province, China. ... Events By place Roman Empire The rule of Augustus is renewed for a ten-year period. ...

The Nakhi split into three groups while their ancestors were still in Baisha. The ones who remained are known as the Nakhi, those in Dali are known as Bai, and those living around the Lugu Lake are called the Mosuo. Even today, the three groups share similar customs. DALI (Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industry) is a manufacturer of high-end loudspeakers situated in Denmark. ... Bamileke languages (ISO 639 alpha-3, bai) Bye - k thx bai Baccalaureus in Arte Ingeniaria Band Aid (band) BAI - Soviet early armoured car, predecessor of BA-6 Bai, a Chinese ethnic group, and their Bai language Banco Africano de Investimentos, in Angola BAI the official name of ferry company Brittany... The Mosuo (also spelled Moso) (Chinese: 摩梭; pinyin: Mósuō) are a small ethnic group living in the Yunnan Province in China, south of Sichuan Province. ...

Between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, agricultural production in Lijiang underwent marked changes, and agriculture eventually replaced livestock breeding as the main occupation of the people. The production of agricultural, handicraft, mineral, and livestock products led to considerable prosperity, and during this period a number of slave-owning groups in Ninglang, Lijiang, and Weixi counties grew into a feudal caste of lords. Tibetan Buddhism got a foothold among the Nakhi from the fourteenth century onwards. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... Lijiang City (Chinese: 丽江市; Hanyu Pinyin: ) refers to an administrative division comprising of urban and rural areas in northwestern Yunnan Province, China. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ...

In 1278, the Yuan Dynasty established the Lijiang Prefecture, which represented the imperial court in Yunnan. A chieftain, Mude, was made the hereditary chieftain of Lijiang Prefecture, exercising control over the Nakhi people and other ethnic groups during the Ming Dynasty. The hereditary chieftains from the Mu family collected taxes and tribute, which then went to the Ming court in the form of silver and grains. The Ming relied on the Mu family as the mainstay for the control of the people of various ethnic groups in northwestern Yunnan Province. For broader historical context, see 1270s and 13th century. ... Capital Dadu Language(s) Mongolian Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1260-1294 Kublai Khan  - 1333-1370 (Cont. ... Yunan redirects here. ... For other uses, see Ming. ...

Land-leasing began to take place, thus marking the beginning of an economy controlled by a landlord. In 1723, during the Qing Dynasty, hereditary local chieftains in the Lijiang area were replaced by court officials, and the Mu chieftain became the local administrator. Events February 16 - Louis XV of France attains his majority Births February 24 - John Burgoyne, British general (d. ...

The ancient Nakhi town of Lijiang is now a major tourist destination. Some Nakhi run shops catering to tourists, such as those serving traditional Nakhi bread (baba).

Religion

The Nakhi are traditionally followers of the Dongba religion. Through both Han Chinese and Tibetan cultural influences, they adopted Tibetan Buddhism (especially in the case of the Mosuo) and, to a lesser extent, Taoism, in the tenth century. A Dongba shaman conducting a ritual. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... The Mosuo (also spelled Moso) (Chinese: 摩梭; pinyin: Mósuō) are a small ethnic group living in the Yunnan Province in China, south of Sichuan Province. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ...

Dongba

Dongba religion was rooted in the beliefs of the Tibetan Bön religion; the word "Dongba" literally means "wise man" in the Nakhi language. Tracing its origins to a Bön shaman from eastern Tibet named Dongba Shilo, who lived in a cave near Baishuitai 900 years ago. According to Nakhi legends, he was said to have created the Lijiang Mural. Bön[1] (Tibetan: བོན་; Wylie: bon; Lhasa dialect IPA: [) is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. ... This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ...

Anthropologists claim that many of the Dongba rituals show strong influences from the Bön religion, and are not native in origin. Bön lamas are believed to have settled among the Nakhi as farmers, and to have begun to practise exorcisms as a way of earning a little money on the side; they were thus in competition with the native ritual specialists, locally known as Llü-bu, or Ssan-nyi.

Religious scriptures suggest that the Llü-bu were female shamans who practised divination, exorcism, and other rites in a trance. By the early nineteenth century, the Dongba priests had created a huge religious vocabulary accompanied by a variety of rituals, and had largely displaced the Llü-bu. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Adherents of Dongba had no places of worship, and so they were not officially recognized as a religion. A Dongba shaman is merely a part-time practitioner priest, who is literate in Dongba religious texts that were unreadable by most Nakhi.

The Dongba religion is based on the relationship between nature and man. In Dongba mythology, "Nature" and "Man" are half-brothers, having different mothers. According to the villagers of Shu Ming Village, nature is controlled by spirits called "Shv". These gods are depicted as human-snake chimeras. The Dongba priests practice rituals such as the "Shv Gu" to appease these spirits and prevent their anger from boiling into natural disasters such as earthquakes and droughts.

Before communist rule in China, many villages still had shrines or places of worship dedicated to nature gods such as Shu, and until recently, at least, inhabitants of Tacheng, which is in the Lijiang-Naxi Autonomous county, still professed belief in the "nature and man" concept.

Their attitude towards nature is clearly illustrated by the story of He Shun, a Dongba priest, who forbade his three sons to cut down more trees than they needed, as this would anger the gods and bring misfortune to his family.

One of the most widely practised Dongba rituals, Zzerq Ciul Zhuaq (literally, to repay the debts of a tree), is often seen in the village of Shuming. The ritual was conducted if somebody was stricken with illness or bad luck, when a Dongba priest would be consulted. On many occasions, the result would show that the person had carried out logging or washing of dirty things in the forest, and the family or person concerned would have to ask the Dongba priest to hold the ritual near where the activity had taken place, and apologise to the nature god Shu.

A Dongba priest conducting a ritual.

Being a conservative people, the villagers prohibited logging, and even the cutting of tree branches and gathering of dry pine-needles from the coniferous trees wasn't generally allowed. The gathering of pine needles was only allowed in July, when the forests were lush and green. However, only one person of each household was allowed to do this job, in order to enforce fairness between households with more or fewer labourers. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (442x700, 200 KB)A Dongba Shaman conducting a ritual. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (442x700, 200 KB)A Dongba Shaman conducting a ritual. ...

The elders, locally known as Lao Min (老民), would watch the all these activities. The elders also voluntarily carried out the public affairs of the village. Traditionally, they played an important role, which still influences many villages.

Especially in Longquan, the villagers have a traditional custom for regulations for logging and firewood. Known as Jjuq-ssaiq or Jjuq-Hal-Keel by the local people, this refers to the regular logging of trees and firewood every two to three years in the forested area near the particular village. A group of people comprising the Lao Min, the village headman, and the mountain guards will organise the procedure in advance. Even in recent years, Nakhi villages still retain an organisation that protects the forests, who were administered by the members of the village committee. This necessarily include the heads of the agricultural Productive Cooperatives, the members of the female union, and the village mountain guard.

Until the communists came to power in China in 1949, villagers followed these traditional principles and tried to use the natural resources conservatively, with thought for the preservation the natural resources for future generations. However, after 1949 serious cultural and social change came to the Nakhi, and the government encouraged logging in the area, which in turn led to a relaxation of the traditional customs. Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Lamaism

The Nakhi's Tibetan origins and proximity to Tibet led them to embrace the Kagyu lineage of Lamaism during the fourteenth century. Over the years, the Nakhi in Lijiang built Buddhist Gompas which acted as the place of worship for the Nakhi Buddhist community. The first monastery, Ogmin Namling at Lashiba, was founded by the tenth Karmapa, Chöying Dorje. Religious Mani stones can also be found in some of the Nakhi households, especially among the Mosuo sub-group. The Kagyu (Tibetan: བཀའ་བརྒྱུད་; Wylie: Bka-brgyud) school, also known as the Oral Lineage and the Spotless Practice Lineage school, is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being Nyingma (Rnying-ma), Sakya (Sa-skya), and Gelug (Dge-lugs). ... Tibetan Buddhism, (formerly also called Lamaism after their religious gurus known as lamas), is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and the Himalayan region. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... Gompas are Buddhist temples, located in Tibet, Ladakh (India), Nepal, and Bhutan. ... The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924 - 1981) The Karmapa (officially His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa) is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa (Tib. ... Chöying Dorje (1604-1674), also Choying Dorje was the tenth Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. ... The Mosuo (also spelled Moso) (Chinese: 摩梭; pinyin: Mósuō) are a small ethnic group living in the Yunnan Province in China, south of Sichuan Province. ...

The story is told of the Nakhi king inviting the eighth Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje to Lijiang in 1516. The king, worried about the safety of the Karmapa on his long journey to Lijiang, dispatched an army of four generals and ten thousand soldiers to accompany him. On the third day of the fourth month the Karmapa reached the border between Tibet and the Nakhi kingdom. Accompanied by his brother and his uncle, who were both riding elephants and escorted by many riders on horseback, the Nakhi king, riding on a palanquin, received a magnificent welcome. The king prostrated himself before the Karmapa, the elephants broke their tethers and bowed down three times before him, and raised their trunks to the sky causing thunderclaps with their trumpeting. The 8e Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje Mikyö Dorje (1507–1554), also Mikyo Dorje, was the eighth Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. ... // Events March - With the death of Ferdinand II of Aragon, his grandson Charles of Ghent becomes King of Spain as Carlos I. July - Selim I of the Ottoman Empire declares war on the Mameluks and invades Syria. ...

References

Asia Harvest reference profiles

• Northern Naxi
• Naxi

External links

• Joseph Rock Maps — Deqen, Lijiang, Weixi, & Yenyuan (Website no longer online, see archive)
• The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University — holders of most of Joseph Rock's work
• Joseph Rock Images — an alternative interface to the images held at Harvard
• Forgotten Kingdom — book by Peter Goullart
• Naxi Manuscript Collection — on-line selections from the Library of Congress Nakhi manuscript collection
• Unlocking Naxi scripts
• Photo Gallery of the Nakhi
• Picture of Nakhi murals (Website no longer online, see archive)