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Lijiang Ancient City Formed The Development Of Naxi Culture Changes

Posted on:2008-05-14Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:H YuFull Text:PDF
GTID:1115360212985750Subject:Ethnology
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Ancient town Lijiang is a World Cultural Heritage endorsed by UNESCO and one of the Chinese leading historic cultural cities announced by State Council. It has the unique appearance of a town known for both mountain and water city characters, containing cultural characteristic of "Harmony in diversities" rooted deeply in Naxi nationality. It is exactly the cultural characteristic that constantly attracts visitors all over China and abroad to the ancient town of Lijian to enjoy its charm leisurely. Through discussing the origin and the development of ancient town Lijiang, Province Yunnan, the dissertation makes deep research by means of nationality history and ethnography mainly on the cultural characteristic of "Harmony in diversities" Naxi nationality has shown in the process of the town change especially reflected in its building culture in different historical periods. The dissertation consists of eight parts.Introduction: This part discusses briefly the theoretical and practical significance of the selected topic, research results obtained by academic circles in the field and the study scheme, method and new viewpoints of this paper, etc.The first chapter: The fundamental conditions of residence environment of Naxi nationality in Lijiang. It mainly discusses how bothnatural and human environment generating ancient town Lijiang creates the cultural characteristic "Harmony in diversities". On the flatland of Lijiang, the historical remains of human activities in Paleolithic age have been discovered. The trails of Naxi nationality ancestors from Paleolithic age to Qin Dynasty are recorded in either archaeological findings, Chinese literature or Dong Ba classics, which provide the background of the cultural characteristic "Harmony in diversities" for research on the birth of ancient town Lijiang and origin of Naxi nationality.The second chapter: The primitive period of ancient town Lijiang and the formation of the Naxi nationality culture. Main content is about how a certain number of primitive settlements are gradually formed naturally. Living in the mountain full of danger, Naxi nationality ancestors were in the loose state for a long time with tribes scattering without a leading chief. In Tang Dynasty, there appeared the religion temple of Naxi nationality with his own unique protection god in it on the slope of Yu Long snow-capped mountain in Li Jiang. In Yuan dynasty , one of their tribes seized an opportunity and turned scattering tribes into the united Naxi nationality, having a status in the northwest of Yunnan. Meanwhile, Dong Ba pictography and picture writing also appeared step by step. Scattering in different places, their ancestors had to go from one place to another for survival, so it was natural for them to accept different national cultures and in this way the culture gene of "Harmony indiversities" became a natural characteristic of Naxi nationality. The corresponding characteristics are also embodied in religious buildings and civilian residential houses.The third chapter: The formation of ancient town Lijian in Ming Dynasty and Naxi nationality headman's culture. The main content includes the following facts. In Ming Dynasty The West River was excavated in the ancient town. The official mansion groups built in the style of imperial palace for Headman Mu laid the basis for ancient town Lijiang. Headman Mu's mansion groups were taken as the representative of architecture culture and the religion building in Bai Sha was taken as the representative of religion, culture and art. Dong Ba culture as the essence and foreign Han culture as a form are characteristic of Headman Mu's mansion groups, which reveals the architecture characteristics of "Harmony in diversities". Judging by the religion buildings and murals in Bai Sha the characteristic of "Harmony in diversities" is also embodied in their spirit and art culture. The folk culture is created by united efforts of immigrants and local residents. Taken as an example, civilian residential houses have the characteristics of multicultural coexistence.The fourth chapter: The expansion of the ancient town after the changes from the chieftainship system to the standard Chinese bureaucratic system in Qing Dynasty and the development of Naxi common people culture. The main content is that when the chieftainshipsystem was changed into the standard Chinese bureaucratic system in Qing Dynasty in the east of ancient town Lijiang office buildings for central government officials were built including town administration offices, county administration offices, The Snow Mountain Academy of Classical Learning, Confucian Temple, Temple of martial valor (devoted to Guan Yu), Town God's Temple and so on. The Eastern River was excavated to solve the problem of drinking water for soldiers and civilians, which made the area of the ancient town greatly broadened eastwards. The layout of the city has remained till today. Central government officials had the deep influence on Naxi nationality culture not only in town architecture but in the life of the common Naxi people. What counts most is that the common people were able to get education. In the aspect of religion and art, Tibetan Buddhism temples were established around the town, which formed the cultural characteristics of Naxi culture merging into Tibetan culture outside the town. Inside the ancient town Naxi culture merging in Han culture is characteristic of the architecture culture. All this showed the cultural characteristic of "Harmony in diversities".The Fifth Chapters: The prosperous industry, commerce and culture of ancient town Lijiang in modern times. The main content is that the ancient town was almost destroyed in the middle of Qing dynasty after the war during the Xian Feng reign and Tong Zhi reign. Then because ofthe rise of the tea horse ancient path and the development of "workers cooperation " movement ancient town Lijiang became the economic town of strategic importance vital to the Northwest, Yunnan. Squire Street in the center of the town served as the trade market center in all directions. The streets in the ancient town were composed of different commercial areas of Naxi merchant community, Tibet merchant community, Bai merchant community and Han merchant community, which gave birth to different commercial cultures and as a result formed the cultural characteristic of "Harmony in diversities". So did different types of civilian residential houses. Either courtyard or dwelling places embodied the cultural characteristic of harmony between man and nature , harmony among people and the cultural characteristic of "Harmony in diversities".The sixth chapters: The ancient town Lijiang open to the world and its unique Naxi culture. The main content is about the fact that the entire ancient town Lijiang has been preserved after the PRC was established. And the town, especially the civilian residential houses, was greatly damaged in the earthquake of 1996. After the earthquake, according to "the principle of fixing the damaged as it was before", the original appearance of the ancient town was restored in the time as short as possible, moreover, the town succeeded in applying for a world cultural heritage, which has brought the great commercial chance to the ancienttown at the same time. The corresponding changes have taken place in both natural and human environment of ancient town Lijiang. In the background of globalization Naxi nationality has held the chance with open-minded mentality and strong national self-confidence. On one hand they carry forward the culture of their own in the development and on the other hand they absorb non-native culture in an active way. Therefore, ancient town Lijiang sends forth not only simple and unsophisticated but modern atmosphere. This is a good case in point of the cultural characteristic of "Harmony in diversities". It is because of this characteristic that ancient town Lijiang has more charm to attract people all over China even all over the world.Conclusion: By analyzing and studying the formation and development of ancient town Lijiang and the change of Naxi nationality culture the dissertation is discussing how local national culture survives and develops in the process of modernization so that the Chinese cultural characteristics of "Harmony in diversities" can be more prosperous.
Keywords/Search Tags:ancient town Lijiang, world cultural heritage, town buildings, Naxi culture, harmony in diversities
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