Welcome to “The Guardian of Time”—a journey through Naxi cultural that spans thousands of years! Through illustration and scroll-style storytelling, I have represented the ancient Dongba civilization into a modern visual language, inviting you to explore the mystical legends of Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
 Dongba culture is a unique intellectual legacy of the Naxi people. Its hieroglyphs are known as “living fossils.” My work follows the adventure of a young boy named A Luo, blending ancient Dongba scripts, myths, and natural philosophy with contemporary visual storytelling. Here, pictographs are no longer static symbols but dynamic, living narratives.
 


Presented in the form of a traditional scroll, the artwork unfolds from left to right, depicting A Luo’s journey through the Dongba world. The visuals merge the primal energy of Dongba art with the narrative rhythm of modern illustration, guiding you through the ancient streets of Lijiang, the sacred snow-capped mountains, and the realm of deities. Each illustration embodies the Naxi people’s natural philosophy—their reverence for all living things and their contemplation of life’s cycles.
 As a Chinese student sharing my culture overseas, I’ve incorporated both English and Chinese annotations, to serve as a bridge: introducing international audiences to the profundity of Eastern civilization while offering fresh inspiration for cultural preservation.