Chronology and Government

60,000 years ago - Stone-age (LiJiang Man) human presence discovered in LiJiang region.

3-2000 years ago - Cave art, ceramics, stone coffin, bronze-age ware and early iron-age ware were
discovered along Golden Sand River.

Han Dynasty   - recorded conquests in the region of the indigenous White Wolf and Yak tribes (NaXi ancestors).

Tang Dynasty - MoXe (former name of the NaXi) homeland was wedged at the strategic crossroads of ToFan
(Tibet) Kingdom, NanZhao (DaLi) Kingdom and Tang Dynasty Empire. Political activities included pacification,
tribute state, and alliance by marriage.  NaXi writing script was formulated into a language.

Song, Yuan Dynasties - Kublai Khan annexed NaXi territories and established the first ancestor
of the Mu Clan as Chieftain of the NaXi people. 22 generations of Mu clan chieftains ruled the NaXi for 470 years.
LiJiang was officially established as an administrative division of the empire. Schools were founded.

Ming Dynasty - LiJiang became a prefecture, arts and culture flourished under the influence of
the Han culture from central China. Tibetan Lamaism (Black and Red Hat Sects)
established religious study centers in LiJiang.

Qing Dynasty - NaXi scholar gentlemen set Chinese education standards. Bright NaXi youth were educated abroad.

Republic of China - International scholars and researchers come to LiJiang.

The LiJiang NaXi Nationality Autonomous County was established in 1960's, preservation of the Ancient DongBa Heritage
gained momentum.

1995 NaXi Culture went abroad to Europe.
1996 Great earthquake devastated LiJiang.
1997 UNESCO came into LiJiang.
April 2003, LiJiang County elevated to a prefecture level city governing 4 counties
(including 2 autonomous counties) and the GuCheng District (Ancient Town).

Population & Demography

The NaXi Nationality is one of 55 Ethnic Minority Nationalities of China.
NaXi means dark-skinned. Total NaXi population is 280,000 living in YunNan and SiChuan Provinces.
2002 census indicates that 1.11 millions including 0.64 million ethnic minority nationalities
(22 ethnicities) reside within the LiJiang City territory. The largest group is the NaXi,
population 214,000 concentrated in the YuLong NaXi Nationality Autonomous County and the GuCheng District.
Other large groups are Bai, Pumi, Yi and Zang nationalities.

Language

The NaXi spoken language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family.
The written language is a pictograph script preserved in the bulk of literature known as
the Ancient DongBa Manuscripts. The NaXi Pictograph Language is the only living ancient script in the world.

Economy

The traditional LiJiang economy was based on farming, herding and trade road caravanning,
supplemented by fishing, hunting, and cottage industries of utilitarian art and functional craft
using indigenous raw materials. In the past 20 years, tourism and hospitality industry has
greatly reshaped the local economy.