仪式天才 Ritual Artists
为了区分出彝族中其它族群，中文称凉山的诺苏人为「凉山彝族」。整个彝族人口超过八百万，主要分布于云南四川一带；诺苏是彝族下的一个支族，几乎全都聚集在凉山地区。
说诺苏人是「仪式天才」一点也不为过，他们偏好在众人的行动中表现集体艺术。丧礼和其它仪式都是彝族的非凡成就，在这些背景和需求下所制造或编织出来的物品〈如竹片和稻草像〉，也显示出其瞬息即逝的特性。诺苏艺术与宗教仪式表现密不可分，从没有永久存续的打算，只想以此形式度过人生的某些痛苦的阶段。死亡便如同创作艺术，时刻无法固定，什么也抓不住，但两者共同的表现都是在指示道路、引领如何涉水而过。其实就是一部指示「白色之路」〈灵魂通往祖界的道路〉的丧礼创作，已逝者将藉由这条先人们行经的路线来与祖先团聚。
In 1995, I went for the first time to the autonomous Yi prefecture of Liangshan in the southwest of Sichuan province. I had become acquainted with an ethnic minority, the Nuosu (the Yis of Sichuan province).
The first time, I went there in order to find painting motives. And I found some living motives. I became fascinated by the ritual books, by the priests – the bimos – going on with these rituals, by this feeling of struggle – with the supernatural world as well as with the natural one – which pervades everything in Liangshan.
