Dongba Murals

The Dongba murals found within Naxi temples are visual manifestations of an ancient spiritual tradition. The origins of Dongba painting are generally believed to have emerged from the ritual imagery created by the early Naxi people in their shamanic practices. These primordial drawings gradually evolved in two directions: one becoming the Naxi pictographic writing system, and the other developing into the distinctive art of Dongba painting.

Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, the indigenous beliefs of the Naxi people were gradually shaped through encounters with Tibetan Bon traditions, Tibetan Buddhism, and Han Chinese Daoism, eventually forming the Dongba religion. As Dongba spiritual practices developed, so too did its visual language. Through generations of Dongba priests, these paintings have been continuously refined, preserved, and passed down to the present day.

Yunnan, 2026

CC BY-SA

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