Dagudalenggelaibiao
01 · Historical Records
The Dagudalenggelaibiao is a creation myth epic of the De'ang people, the natural product of the plant worship of the tea god among the De'ang forebears, and is called a collectively created tribal story. The original Dai-language manuscript is about two thousand lines long, consisting of six parts: the opening song, the tea god descending to earth and giving birth to mankind, the struggle of light and darkness, victory over the flood and evil forces, the origin of the hundred flowers and fruits and the origin of the waist-hoop, and the birth of the ancestors and the multiplication of the various peoples. It mainly tells of the birth and development of the De'ang people and their hard history of tenacious struggle with nature, revealing the De'ang's ancient tea culture and the historical origin of their title of ancient tea-growers. After about the fourteenth century De'ang artists borrowed the Dai script to collate and record it, so that this ancient epic could be transmitted in both Dai manuscript and oral forms.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Dagudalenggelaibiao is the natural product of the plant worship of the tea god among the De'ang forebears and is a collectively created tribal story. The original Dai manuscript is about two thousand lines long and consists of six parts. The epic mainly tells of the birth and development of the De'ang people and their hard history of tenacious struggle with nature, revealing the De'ang's ancient tea culture and the historical origin of their title of ancient tea-growers.
The Opening Song
One of the six parts of the Dagudalenggelaibiao.
The Tea God Descends and Man Is Born
One of the six parts of the Dagudalenggelaibiao.
The Struggle of Light and Darkness
One of the six parts of the Dagudalenggelaibiao.
The Origin of the Hundred Flowers and Fruits and of the Waist-Hoop
One of the six parts of the Dagudalenggelaibiao.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Dagudalenggelaibiao is a creation myth epic of the De'ang people, current in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in western Yunnan, the Lujiangba township of Longyang district in Baoshan city and Zhenkang, Gengma, Yongde and Shuangjiang counties in Lincang in the south-west, and in the Shan and Wa regions of Burma.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
About the fourteenth century and after, De'ang artists borrowed the Dai script to collate and record it, so that this ancient epic could be transmitted in both Dai manuscript and oral forms. The Dagudalenggelaibiao is the history in the heart of the De'ang people and plays an important role in guiding people's norms of conduct, embodying the national spirit and humanistic thought of the De'ang and having research value in history, cultural studies, folklore and ethics. Because its chain of transmission is relatively fragile, it urgently needs protection.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Li Laweng 03-0794
- Li Lazhuai 05-2005
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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