A Study of the Decorative Features of Form-and-Meaning Expression in Dongba Pictographs
Wang Jianfeng examines the decorative-artistic dimension of Naxi Dongba pictographs, arguing that their pictographic nature inherently produces strong decorative character. The article traces both intuitive expression (e.g., the 'ox' character extended with added elements to distinguish yak, water buffalo, sacrificial context, or ownership) and abstract expression (e.g., 'north'/'south' derived by splitting the 'water' character; black dots signifying danger or poison). It analyzes decorative patterns around 'gods,' 'spirits,' and 'humans' -- arguing Dongba divinities read as approachable rather than terrifying -- and identifies four aesthetic qualities running through the script: naive simplicity (zhizhuo), vividness, harmony (e.g., left-right symmetry, reversible orientation), and refinement (extreme economy of stroke count, as in the sheep character). It closes by discussing the script's contemporary afterlife in calligraphy, graphic design, animation, and jewelry, and calls for grounding decorative analysis in Dongba culture's broader social and religious context rather than treating form in isolation.
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