Top of page

Manuscript/Mixed Material Naxi pictographic manuscripts. NZS, Road the Gods decide = Naxi Zu xiang xing wen jing dian. NZS, Ha zhi p'i Naxi pictographic manuscripts. 納西族象形文經典 / Naxi Zu xiang xing wen jing dian / Road the Gods decide / Naxi funeral scroll / Journey to heaven

View 3 images in sequence.

About this Item

Title

  • Naxi pictographic manuscripts. NZS, Road the Gods decide = Naxi Zu xiang xing wen jing dian. NZS, Ha zhi p'i

Other Title

  • Naxi pictographic manuscripts. 納西族象形文經典
  • Naxi Zu xiang xing wen jing dian
  • Road the Gods decide
  • Naxi funeral scroll
  • Journey to heaven

Summary

  • This funeral scroll is divided into 103 sections. These sections depict the stages and realms through which the soul of the deceased has to travel and traverse. They pass through the nine black spurs in hell guarded by the demons, on to the human domain, and eventually to the realm of gods, their journey usually ending when they reach the domain of the supreme deities of the Naxi pantheon. The scroll is attached to the head of the coffin. The first part of the scroll begins with the demon realms closest to the head of the coffin; the end of the scroll depicts the realms of the gods that must extend in a horizontal position in a northeasterly direction. The scroll serves as a bridge for the soul to reach the realm of the gods. The officiating dongbas perform an exorcism to propitiate and banish demons and evil spirits in the funeral ceremonies.

Names

  • Rock, Joseph F. (Joseph Francis), 1884-1962, donor
  • Roosevelt, Quentin, 1919-1948, donor
  • Naxi Collection (Library of Congress)
  • Library of Congress. Asian Division

Created / Published

  • [Yunnan sheng : 1500?-1934]

Headings

  • -  Shamanism--China--Yunnan Sheng--Rituals--Texts
  • -  Manuscripts, Naxi--Washington (D.C.)

Notes

  • -  A 39 1/2-foot long by approximately 1-foot wide Naxi funeral scroll, the Ha zhi p'i, made of homespun hemp cloth in gouache painting.
  • -  In Naxi, written by Naxi priests.
  • -  Collected by Joseph Rock between 1924 and 1945.
  • -  Scholar Collector Joseph Rock, botanist and linguist, went on National Geographic Society expeditions in 1930's.
  • -  Scroll described in a detailed finding aid is available, prepared by Zhu Baotian with annotations, and a partial translation, in Chinese.

Medium

  • 1 scroll ; 39 1/2 feet x 1 foot.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • CLC Naxi Collection Chinese Cage

Source Collection

  • Naxi pictographic manuscripts

Repository

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2020749496

Access Advisory

  • Restricted; Material extremly fragile; Access by appointment only.

Online Format

  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The contents of the Library of Congress Naxi Manuscript Collection are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions and are free to use and reuse.

The article, “In the Land of the Devil Priests," is reprinted from Natural History, April 1940; copyright © Natural History Magazine, Inc., 1940.

Credit Line: Library of Congress, Asian Division.

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Rock, Joseph F. , Donor, Quentin Roosevelt, Naxi Collection, and Library Of Congress. Asian Division. Naxi pictographic manuscripts. NZS, Road the Gods decide = Naxi Zu xiang xing wen jing dian. NZS, Ha zhi p'i. [Yunnan sheng: ?-1934, 1500] Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2020749496/.

APA citation style:

Rock, J. F., Roosevelt, Q., Naxi Collection & Library Of Congress. Asian Division. (1500) Naxi pictographic manuscripts. NZS, Road the Gods decide = Naxi Zu xiang xing wen jing dian. NZS, Ha zhi p'i. [Yunnan sheng: ?-1934] [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2020749496/.

MLA citation style:

Rock, Joseph F. , Donor, et al. Naxi pictographic manuscripts. NZS, Road the Gods decide = Naxi Zu xiang xing wen jing dian. NZS, Ha zhi p'i. [Yunnan sheng: ?-1934, 1500] Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2020749496/>.