Cham
Cham(Cha Mu in Chinese) is a creation epic of Yi ethnic group,translated into Chinese by Guo Sijiu and Tao Xueliang,etc.
As the Yi people often call the origin of everything“Cha”,“Cham”means the origin of everything in Yi community.Therefore,Cham is a long epic recording the origin of everything in Yi language.
Cham is divided into two parts in total.The first part is Wucha (Wu Cha in Chinese) and the second part is Maicha (Mai Cha in Chinese),mainly recording the origin of all things.Cham boasts abundant contents,which involves the origins of religion,philosophy,society,universe,mankind,and daily products.For example,Tuseyim Cha (Tu Se Yi Mu Cha in Chinese) tells the origin of coins,Bom Cha (Bo Mu Cha in Chinese) tells the origin of ethic and morality,Lum Cha(Lu Mu Cha in Chinese) tells the origins of mankind and animals,and so on.
Known as an encyclopedic creation epic of Yi ethnic group,Cham not only tells the origin of everything,but also teaches the next generation how to be a man.With attractive stories,Cham shapes a series of vivid figures,presents a number of views of the life of the Yi people in the early days,and reflects the diligence and wisdom of the Yi people.
Below is an extract from the poem that depicts Yi people’s understanding about“planting cottons”:
Linen clothes are available,
But cotton clothes are not available.
Who plants cottons?
Who spins?(https://www.daowen.com)
Who weaves?
Who dyes flowers?
The three sons of Xiesuo,
Twist linen ropes in the evening,
Go up a mountain to set up clasps in the daytime.
A clasp is positioned on the mountaintop,
A clasp shelf is positioned on the mountainside,
A clasp shelf is positioned on the mountain foot.