An ancient manuscript passed down from the ancestors of the Naxi ethnic minority group in China argues for harmony between nature and humanity, saying that mankind should apologize to nature due to their overconsumption of natural resources, such as timber used for building houses.

The manuscript, written with distinctive pictographs, reflects the primitive rituals and thoughts of the Naxi people with whom the Dongba culture has taken shape since antiquity.

However, this ancient culture might have been on the brink of extinction when two remnant priests over the age of 70 were found.

With their knowledge of reading and interpreting the manuscripts retrieved from home and abroad by the members of the Beijing Association of Dongba Culture and Arts (ADCA), a non-governmental organization, the priests are again able to bring the ancient rituals to life.

"The culture, although it belonged to a minority, has made substantial contributions to mankind," said Zhang Xu, head of ADCA, at a symposium held last Friday to review ADCA's yearlong work and map out a schedule for the new year.

"The inheritance of Dongba culture has been greatly challenged as the sons of these priests would rather be tour guides in the nearby Tiger Leaping Gorge than hosts of traditional Naxi rituals," Zhang said.

Therefore, Zhang, as well as the rest of the attendants in the meeting called for a tightened schedule for spreading the knowledge of Dongba culture, as the manuscripts, rituals and customs are not simply traditions of an ethnic minority group but also cultural heritage shared by mankind.

To preserve the dying culture, members from the ADCA work with overseas partners who have preserved the manuscripts in their libraries since Joseph Rock, the late Austrian-American adventurer, explored the life of Naxi people and took these manuscripts. To save the culture from the overwhelming force of modernization and commercialism, the rescuers have adopted interdisciplinary research with the help of digital technology and non-profit funding.

Zhang still remembers several years ago when the ADCA planned to make a video of the paper-making technique of the Naxi people, an important art form belonging to Dongba culture. She sold a painting for 16,000 yuan (US$2,476) to cover the cost of tapes and video cameras required for the documentary.

The documentary was brought to the Chinese Film Festival in Paris a couple of days after the terrorist attack last month.

Despite the tragic shooting spree, the display of the unique handwork of the ancient paper-making technique mesmerized the audience with its meticulous record of the delicate handmade skill.

"The purpose for us to preserve Dongba culture comes from our pursuit of tranquility," Zhou Mingquan, professor of the College of Information Science and Technology at Beijing Normal University.

"Dongba culture is a living remnant of mankind's culture," he said, "as a significant component of Chinese culture, the Dongba way of life encourages people to review the concealed history and preserve it with the adoption of modern technology."

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