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22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
A pair of door handles of the Naxi minority

In the ancient city of Lijiang in southwest China, there are many Naxi minority houses preserved. Their structures and decorations have distinct Dongba cultural characteristics. This pair of door handles is quite unique: the upper body is a woman wearing a traditional Naxi headdress, with a serene look, hands clasped together, as if chanting. The lower body is a curled snake tail. This peculiar shape is obviously related to Dongba mythology. What kind of ancient Dongba story do they tell?

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2024
Photo Location: Lijiang, China
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Copyright: © YITIAN LIU