Epic Sigangli performed by Wa people

The creation epic Sigangli has been circulated by the Wa ethnic group in southwest Yunnan’s Lincang and Pu’er cities.

Popular in the counties of Cangyuan, Lancang and Ximeng, "Sigangli" means cave in the Wa language. It tells the stories of humans after they came out of "Sigang", and the stories touched upon their ancestors, ethnicity, villages, clans, legends, and romances.

With more than 5,700 lines, the whole epic is recognized as an encyclopedia that reflects the entire history and culture of the Wa. Sigangli influenced the subsequent Wa literature a lot.

The epic was included in China's Intangible Cultural Heritage List in May 2011.

Since the Wa people have no written language, Sigangli was first handed down orally for thousands of years, and gradually developed into the form of singing and performance.

Reporting and photos by Pu Xinnan (Pu’er Intangible Cultural heritage Center); Trans-editing by Mo Yingyi