art in the near future, collecting all the infor-
mation and images of rock art inside Yushu
with detailed geological, historical and cul-
tural explanations attached.
Nima says that it’s vital to deal with rock
art now, since much of it is under threat
from modern construction projects that have
reached even the remotest mountains and
gorges in Yushu. He’s been an active partici-
pant in international symposiums of rock art
in recent years, hoping to learn from global
researchers in the field and introduce Yushu’s
rock art to others.
Zhang says that rock art is not a niche sub-
ject, but one not yet fully understood, and
that much has yet to be learnt about its sig-
nificance. “The study of Yushu’s rock art has
a very hopeful future, and it can contribute
substantively to the region’s history,” Zhang
said.
The study on Yushu rock art is key to un-
derstanding the historical background of
Tibetan culture and religion, but little seri-
ous research has yet been done. Like rock art
elsewhere, most of the images are of wildlife
and humans. Nima speculates that the inter-
action of humanity and nature on the plateau
has a profound influence on local values. He
praises the traditional Tibetan practice of sky
burial, where corpses are left to decompose on
the mountaintop and be eaten by wild birds,
as one that returns the human body to na-
ture. Other beliefs, such as respect for sacred
mountains where humans can’t trample a sin-
gle plant or slay a single animal, also indicate a
sense of human subordination to nature.
The human-nature relationship is also
a key part of the preservation of the Sanji-
angyuan region’s particular ecology, the re-
gion where the Yellow, Yangtze and Mekong
Rivers all originate. “How did human be-
ings interpret nature, and how did they par-
ticipate in natural processes? This heritage,
passed down from our ancestors, has shaped
Tibetans’ culture today,” Nima commented.
“But if we fail to study and record this an-
cient rock art, we will soon lose it forever.”S OCIETY
Rock art with figures of deer
Rock art with figures of yaks and eagles
Photo courtesy of Zhang YashaPhoto courtesy of zhang yasha