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With a population of about 300,000, Naxi
(also spelled Nakhi or Nahi) mainly live in concentrated communities
in the Naxi Autonomous County of Lijing in the Yunnan Province,
and the rest are scattered throughout the Weixi, Zhongdian, Ninglang,
Deqin, Yongsheng, Heqing, Jianchuan and Lanping counties in the
Yunnan Province, as well as Yanyuan, Yanbian and Muli counties in
the Sichuan Province. There are also a small number living in the
Mangkang County in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Most Naxi people engage in agriculture and the chief crops include
rice, maize, wheat, potatoes, beans, hemp, and cotton.
Naxi women wear loose clothes with broad waistbands and sleeves,
long trousers, hundred-pleat aprons, and boat-shaped embroidered
shoes. Men's garments are similar to those of the Han people.
The Naxi ethnic group has its own language which belongs to the
Yi branch of Zang-Mian Austronesian of the Han-Zang Phylum. The
Naxi ethnic group created its own hieroglyphic "Dongba"
script more than 1,000 years ago, which is still used occasionally
by some Naxi people. It is reputed to be a living fossil - the origin
and development of characters in human society. Due to frequent
economic and cultural exchanges with the Han people since the Yuan
and Ming dynasties, Naxi people have gradually adopted Chinese as
their main means of communicationl.
Most Naxi people believe in the Dongba religion, which is a form
of Shamanism, and also in Lamaism. Sorcerers, called "Dongba,"
are invited to chant scriptures at weddings, funerals, and New Year
Day and other festivals.
Naxi people have created a brilliant civilization during its long
history. The Dongba Scripture (Dongba Jing), a religious work written
in the Tang Dynasty in pictographic script, describes the various
aspects of Naxi people during their long transition from slavery
to feudalism. It is extremely important element in the study of
Naxi literature, history, and religion.
Naxi architecture is elegant and simple. It has absorbed the characteristics
of traditional architectural styles of Han and Tibetan, and finds
its best expression in Lijiang old town. Houses built in a style
of "one courtyard with five skylights", have a crude and
simple appearance and elaborate and delicate patterns in casements
and doors. They demonstrate the unique architectural styles of Naxi
people.
Naxi people are fond of song and dance. Using flutes, reed pipes,
and wind-string as its main instruments, Naxi ancient music, as
a kind of classic music, is widely popular with the Naxi ethnic
group. Naxi ancient music combines holy tunes from Daoist and Confucians
ceremonies and literary lyrics and topics from poets. Naxi ancient
music is praised by the contemporary as the "living fossil
of music".
The Naxi ethnic group celebrates its Torch Festival on June 24
each year and its Sanduo Festival on February 8th of every lunar
year.
Sanduo Festival: Sanduo is a Naxi war god who defends the Naxi
people. It is said that in ancient times a hunter discovered a strange
snow stone on Jade Dragon Mountain. He carried the stone home. On
his way home, he had to put the stone down for a rest because the
stone was extremely heavy. When he decided to continue his trip,
he found he could no longer lift the stone. Many thought it was
the embodiment of a god. Later, the local people decided to build
a temple to honor this supposed god. Hence, people believe that
they always see a heavenly being in a white coat and a white helmet,
carrying a white spear and riding a white horse. It protects the
local people and their land. Naxi people consider Sanduo to be the
most powerful god in its mythology and they say Sanduo was born
to the year of goat. Therefore, on every goat day, a goat is sacrificed
to honor this god.
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