The Naxi Pictograph for "Dragon
This article examines the "shu" (署) deity—commonly translated as "dragon"—in Naxi pictographic scripture and ritual practice, focusing on the "Shugu" (祭龙神, "Sacrifice to the Dragon Spirit") ceremony preserved among the Naxi people of Yunnan, transmitted by Dongba priests. According to legend, Shu and humans are half-siblings born of the same father but different mothers, whose later conflict prompted humans to appease Shu through ritual offerings for blessings. The article details the traditional altar setup—built with poplar, fir, and bamboo, featuring nine "Shu villages," a cypress tower, sacred plow blade, and vegetarian offerings—since Shu is regarded as a vegetarian deity. It distinguishes major (Shudi'gu) and minor (Shuji'gu) versions of the rite, lasting three days or one day respectively, and lists dozens of associated Dongba scriptures. Finally, it outlines the Dongba cosmology of Shu spirits, categorized into four types (Nieshu, Shu, Shada Shu, Duishu) associated with cardinal directions, their mythic origin from golden toad-laid eggs hatched by the sage Dingba Shiluo, reflecting an egg-birth cosmogony common in Naxi mythology.
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