★ Classics of Yunnan Ethnic Groups in English Translation is a collection of 17 classical works from 11 ethnic groups in Yunnan Province, published in the bilingual form.
★ This is the first time in China that a large-scale English translation of Yunnan's rich ethnic classics has been undertaken.
★ The classics selected for the set are mainly myths and epics of various ethnic groups, such as Zhaoshutun, Old Folk Songs of the Dai & the Naxi, Manau Jaiwa, PamiChali, Zhisa Jiabu, Chamu, Meige and The Gold Flute, etc.

Pamichali is an important mythical genesis epic of the Pumi people and it is widely sung in Pumi communities. With the development of modernization and the gradual death of elderly singers, there are very few that can sing the entire epic now. Th erefore, the content of the epic is widely spread among the Pumi people as stories.
The epic is divided into nine parts. The first part is called “Collecting Golden Light”. It says that in the dark ages long long ago, a girl and her fourth brother became the sun and the moon because they wanted to collect golden light to illuminate the world. Th e second part is “Great Flood”, which tells how the three brothers at home got to know that a great flood was coming and how the third brother survived the flood. The third part, “Uncle Frog”, describes how the third brother survived the mouth of devils with the help of Uncle Frog. Th e fourth part, “Finding Fairies”, describes how the third brother asked immortal Abodu to create human beings. Due to the third brother’s anxiousness, Abodu’s eff orts were not successful. However, with the immortal Adodu’s direction, the third brother managed to find the three Fairies. The fifth part is “Killing the Demon Bravely” which describes how the third brother helped the three fairies kill the demon. Th e sixth part is “Th e Hero Choosing His Bride”, which tells the readers how the third brother chose the third immortal girl to be his bride. Th e seventh part, “God’s Tests”, describes how the third brother passed God Muduodingba’s test with the help of the third immortal girl. Th erefore, God allowed his third daughter to go to the mortal world with the third brother. Th e eighth part, “Th e Origin of Seeds” is about the origin of seeds and the multiplication of human beings.
This epic contains many common elements of creation narratives, such as the pursuit of light, a great flood, immortals, demons, multiplication of human beings, and the origins of many customs of the Pumi people. Therefore, the creation epic is an indispensable resource for studies in the history and culture of the Pumi people.

Collecting Golden Light // 1
Great Flood // 19
Uncle Frog // 43
Finding Fairies // 65
Killing the Demon Bravely // 81
The Hero Choosing His Bride // 95
God’s Tests // 111
The Origin of Seeds // 123