On the Naxi Life Deity "Si
This article examines "Se" (肆), the life deity revered by the Naxi people, analyzing its etymology, its connection to life and the soul, its symbolic objects, and its role in life-cycle rituals. The author argues that "Se" should properly be translated as "life deity" rather than the commonly used "house deity" or Rock and Jackson's imprecise "life god." Each Naxi household keeps a sacred bamboo basket ("Sedu") housing Se's dwelling, containing ritual objects—a stone symbolizing family permanence, a juniper "ladder" (Seta) carved with sacred images, an oak "bridge" (Setuo), a peg (Seke), and a three-pronged arrow representing three generations—crafted under strict ritual conditions by a family with unblemished fortune. Se is central to rituals marking birth, naming, adulthood, and especially marriage (the "Sezi" ceremony, literally "welcoming the life deity"), during which the bride's Se spirit is ceremonially joined with the groom's family. The study concludes that Se embodies the ancient Naxi people's worship of life itself and primitive consciousness of vitality and the soul.
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