Blind Dongba

Lijiang, Yunnan province

Modern Dongba are culture bearers - scholars, teachers, artists, or even entertainers. Naxi elders are given this title when they have proven themselves to be expert and effective advocates for their native culture.

If the Naxi have been successful in preserving their traditional culture against the pressures of Sinification, this may be largely due to the strong yet flexible Dongba system that provides a deeply rooted cultural continuity for the Naxi people.