A Preliminary Study of the Colophons of the Naxi Manuscript Collection in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin

Abstract

The Naxi manuscripts are generally religious texts used by the Dongba priests in southwest of China. The interpretation of colophons has often been underappreciated in previous studies. This paper reviews previous research on colophons in Naxi manuscripts and redefines the concept of the ‘colophon’ as a term used in the study of Naxi manuscripts. In this paper, the colophons of some of the Naxi manuscripts in the Staatsbibliothek zu of Berlin are discussed, revealing when and where the manuscripts were copied, and the events associated with the copying process. When reading the colophons, one often encounters translation errors and other problems, but their correct interpretation will help shed more light on the circumstances of the production of the Naxi manuscripts, which make up a unique component of the world’s literary heritage.