The Nuosu Book of Origins: A Creation Epic from Southwest China

Description

The Nuosu people, who were once overlords of vast tracts of farmland and forest in the uplands of southern Sichuan and neighboring provinces, are the largest division of the Yi ethnic group in southwest China. Their creation epic plots the origins of the cosmos, the sky and earth, and the living beings of land and water. This translation is a rare example in English of Indigenous ethnic literature from China. Transmitted in oral and written forms for centuries among the Nuosu, The Book of Origins is performed by bimo priests and other tradition-bearers. Poetic in form, the narrative provides insights into how a clan- and caste-based society organizes itself, dictates ethics, relates to other ethnic groups, and adapts to a harsh environment. A comprehensive introduction to the translation describes the land and people, summarizes the work's themes, and discusses the significance of The Book of Origins for the understanding of folk epics, ethnoecology, and ethnic relations. Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Foreword Preface Pronunciation Guide and Conventions Map of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture Introduction The Book of Origins 1. Genealogy of Sky 2. Genealogy of Earth 3. Transformation of Sky and Earth 4. Genealogy of Lightning 5. Separation of Sky and Earth 6. Great Bimo 7. Genealogy of Spirit Monkey 8. Zhyge Alu 9. Shooting Down Suns and Moons 10. Calling Out Single Sun and Single Moon 11. Twelve Branches of Snow 12. Genealogy of Shyly Wote 13. Ozzu (Tibetan) Lineages 14. Ozzu (Tibetan) Migrations 15. Hxiemga (Han) People’s Lineage 16. Hxiemga (Han) People’s Migrations 17. Foreigners’ Lineage 18. Migrations of Foreigners 19. Nuosu Lineages 20. Emperor Vomu and Ni and Vi Genealogies 21. Genealogy of Ahuo 22. Migration of Ahuo 23. Genealogy of Nzy Clan 24. Highpoints of Migrations of Gguho 25. Migrations of Qonie 26. Changes in Hxuo Villages 27. Genealogy of Gguho 28. Migrations of Nine Sons of Gguho Durzhy Ddiwo 29. Genealogy of Qoni Appendix: The Book of Origins Contents with Tone Indicators Glossary Notes References Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z