Holy articles back to Lijiang

Recently Yunnan cultural academics brought "five element holy articles" back to Lijiang and enshrined them reverently in Dongbashiluo Temple at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

The five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water were what ancient Chinese considered to be the basic components of all substances.

The Naxi ethnic group hopes to strengthen ties among its people and remind them of their origin by inviting them to worship the "five elements" from the areas their ancestors once lived in.

To get the five elements the Naxi ethnic group made a 10,000-mile trip to certain locations including Tibet and Qinghai province. The items they brought home are some iron, sand and gravel from the Yellow River which passes through their ancestors' hometowns.

The team was made up of 16 cultural academics from Kunming and Sichuan province, some specializing in the 1,000-year-old Dongba culture of the Naxi ethnic group including Dongba hieroglyphics, paintings and dances.

Edited by Peter Nordinger