THESE CARVINGS ARE SHAPED USING WOOD FROM THE LOCAL AZALEA TREE, AND TEND TO BE CULTURALLY EXPRESSIVE WITH BOTH DONGBA AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE SYMBOLISM.
Zhang Wei Min carving the horse
A young prodigy with some examples of Zhou Fei's creative work.
Naxi society was traditionally matriarchal, this even extends to their language. For example, the meaning of ‘stone’ and ‘female’ is boulder, but the meaning of ‘stone’ and ‘male’ is only pebble.
The choice to continue to wear traditional dress is one such manifestation of this independence.
They are proud to express their cultural identity through the wearing of their blue blouses and trousers, and their seven star shawls.
Seven Star Shawl
The shawl is made of black sheepskin, and consists of two main colours white and black, representing day and night.
On the shawl are sewn seven round disks to represent the stars. A Naxi legend asserts that there were originally nine suns in the sky, making the earth unbearably hot. Impressed by the bravery of a young Naxi girl, a snow dragon was sent to help them. It swallowed eight of the Suns, later discharging them to become the moon, and the seven stars of the Big Dipper.
From then on it became a tradition for the Naxi people to wear such shawls.
Wan Ling Carving / Naxi Woman and Seven Star Shawl
