About Dongba wooden plaque paintings
Dongba painting is the most representative artistic heritage in the traditional painting of the Naxi ethnic group. It gradually matured alongside the development of the “Dongba religion” and is closely linked to various Dongba rituals. It has been continuously compiled, created, and passed down by successive generations of Dongbas (Dongba means “priest” or “wise person” in the Naxi language).
Originally, Dongba paintings appeared as illustrations on ritual props. Their content reflects the customs, religion, astronomy, laws, philosophy, history, geography, medicine, and more of the Naxi ancestors. These paintings hold significant value for studying Naxi social life, religious philosophy, historical evolution, folk culture, science and medicine, and art forms. Naxi Dongba paintings are an important reference for the study of humanity’s primitive painting art.
This unique art form is usually made on pinewood, crafted into flat wooden plaques approximately 30 to 70 cm long and 8 to 15 cm wide. According to the shape of the top, they can be divided into pointed and flat types: pointed plaques are mostly used to depict benevolent figures such as gods, painted with bright colors like red, yellow, and green; flat plaques are used to portray malevolent spirits or ghosts, often retaining the natural wood color. Artistically, Dongba wooden plaques use a typical three-part composition: the top section depicts the sun, moon, and stars; the middle section shows main gods or spirits; and the bottom section portrays sacrificial offerings or natural elements. The lines are bold and uninhibited, with exaggerated and distorted shapes, using mineral pigments to present strong color contrasts. As important ritual instruments of the Dongba religion, these wooden plaques serve as spiritual mediums during ceremonies such as wind rituals and funerals. They are placed on altars or designated locations to facilitate communication between humans and gods and to help soothe departed souls.
In 2006, Dongba painting (including wooden plaques) was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in China. Its unique artistic style not only preserves traces of the evolution from pictographic script to painting but also embodies the Naxi people’s ancient cosmology and philosophy of life, making it a precious “living fossil” for researching primitive human art and ethnic cultural exchange.