Forum on Folk Culture
Based on fieldwork conducted in Naxi villages of northwestern Yunnan (2003–2004), this article examines the Dongba dance ritual honoring the religious founders of Dongba culture, Ding Ba Shi Luo and A Ming Shi Luo, as observed in Baidi's Wushuwan village. Drawing on direct observation of the ritual's background, procedures, and process—including the timing, location, participants, and ceremonial sequence (such as the "burning heavenly incense" rite)—the author analyzes the movement characteristics, cultural-ecological typology, and religious significance of this representative ancestor-worship dance ritual. The study interprets the dynamic spatiotemporal dimensions, role consciousness and structure, dance vocabulary, and underlying logical order embodied in the ritual. By combining fieldwork with textual and comparative research, the article aims to provide a multidimensional understanding of the social and cultural meanings embedded in this traditional Naxi religious dance art within its living cultural context.
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