New China

Dongba is the local language which means “wise man”. It is given as a title to those who sometimes act as priests or herbal doctors. They inherit the knowledge of the Dongba Religion which is a combination of Tibetan Buddhism and Taoism from generations to generations, and they know how to read and write in Dongba Pictographs, which are said to be the “only living pictographs” in the world. The religion emphasizes the harmony between humans and nature. Dongba ancient literature manuscripts was designated as World's Memory Register in 2003.