Echoes of an Enspirited Land: Resurgence and Regeneration among the Qiangic Peoples

In the rugged expanse of the “Sichuan Ethnic Corridor”, amidst the craggy peaks and verdant valleys
of Eastern Kham dwell the Qiangic peoples. Their ancient lineage is woven into the fabric of the land,
their identities intertwined with the enspirited landscapes they call home. Across dialects like Ergong,
Ersu, Qiang and Jiarong, they share a profound connection to the earth, guided by the belief in
topocosmic equilibrium (between the natural, social and spiritual domains)
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For generations, the Qiangic peoples have lived in harmony with their surroundings, honouring the
gzhi bdag (spirits of place) as the guardians of their sacred natural sites (SNS). These spirit owners are
revered for their role in maintaining the balance between the human and the spiritual, ensuring the
vitality of their territories of life. The gzhi bdag cult (with its origins in steppe neolithic culture) has
shaped their worldview, instilling a deep sense of respect for the land and its inhabitants (both human
and other-than-human).
I discovered the territories of life of the Qiangic/Tibetan people quite by accident. I had asked a
farmer if there was a relationship between his spiritual beliefs and earth care or nurture. He responded
by saying: -
"If we take care of the local forest and animals Jo Bo will be happy and bless our community.
If not, he will be angry and our crops will fail, our livestock will die, and we will suffer”.
The farmer went on to describe the role of Jo Bo, the natural resources, and villages he presided over
as custodian and the geospatial extent of the pho brang (citadel) he inhabited. l was surprised that the
farmer spoke of a divinity being happy and blessing the community, but I realised immediately that he
was describing an animistic phenomenon, and latterly that Jo Bo was the name of a spirit or gzhi bdag
and his pho brang was a Sacred Natural Site.
Enspiriting
To enspirit their sacred natural sites, the Qiangic people perform rituals and ceremonies, inviting (or
calling down) the spirits to inhabit or take up residence and protect them from harm
Qiangic bond with nature and culture
I was intrigued to discover that the Qiangic-speaking groups of the Yalong and Litang valley
demonstrate a much closer bond with the land, culture, and spirituality than the Khamba Tibetans in
the Yangtze valley, This suggests that the latter may not prioritize the same level of preservation or
reverence for their natural surroundings and cultural heritage as the Qiangic-speaking groups.
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I think the reason for this====
Threats to the gzhi bdag cult
Throughout the annals of history, the gzhi bdag cult has endured the tumultuous waves of change
that swept across the land, from the ancient teachings of Yundrung Bon to the arrival of
Buddhism, the rise of Communism, and the winds of modernity.
Yundrung Bon, a spiritual path founded by Tonpa Shenrab sought to establish legitimacy for his
teachings, seeking to transcend the realm of mere myth and superstition. Yet, despite his efforts, the
shadow of the gzhi bdag cult loomed large over the spiritual landscape. This animistic tradition,
deeply rooted in the earth and its elemental forces, held sway over the hearts and minds of many.
Tonpa Sherab’s attempts to subdue this cult met with little success, for the beliefs of Yundrung Bon
seemed worlds apart from the animism of the gzhi bdag cult.
Buddhism emerged as another contender for spiritual dominance, seeking to tame the wild gzhi bdag
spirits and integrate them into its own pantheon as Dharma Protectors. Yet, despite the efforts of
Buddhist monks and scholars, the gzhi bdag retained their hold over the sacred mountains and valleys,
standing as silent sentinels against the encroachment of foreign beliefs.
The winds of change blew fiercely during the Cultural Revolution, as the followers of deity cults
found themselves persecuted and their sacred sites desecrated. The destruction wrought upon the land
was a grievous wound upon the soul of the land, as ancient cairns were toppled and forgotten, their
significance lost to the ravages of time.
I remember some Minyak pointing to a mountain saddle and described in graphic detail the
destruction. They told me that: -
“The Red Guards marched down the [Li-Chu River] valley destroying the “cairns” (Labtse in
Tibetan) as they went and removing (scraping out) any trace of them”.
In the wake of this upheaval, modernity cast its long shadow over the land, robbing ethnic cultures of
their meaning and reducing them to mere commodities for the tourist trade and ignoring the spiritual
dimension.
I remember an old woman describing the retribution after a mini hydroelectric plant was constructed
in the domain of a gzhi bdag. She told me that: -
“The company made no attempt to seek permission or appease the gzhi bdag and as a result,
most of the workers suffered mental disorders.”
The concept of conservation, born of secular ideals, clashed with the sacred duty of the gzhi bdag to
guard and nurture their ancestral lands in concert with their gzhi bdag.
I discovered from a Pumi elder that
“We (the Pumi people) used to care for and nurture the forest and wildlife but since the
imposition of nature conservation and protected forest we have lost our sense of responsibility
for the forest'.
Urbanization and environmental migration further eroded the fabric of Qiangic/Tibetic communities,
displacing them from their ancestral lands and severing their ties to the sacred landscape. In some
cases, the gzhi bdag found themselves de-territorialized, their once-sacred sites rendered irrelevant in
the eyes of progress.
In the face of these challenges, the process of heritagization emerged as a double-edged sword,
promising to protect minority cultures while often leading to their commodification and
marginalization. Tragically, the efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of the Qiang people in the
aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake proved insufficient to alleviate their suffering or restore their
way of life.
“It not only failed to bring about sustainable economic development to the earthquake-
stricken areas, but also ignored to a large extent the initial goal of ‘post-disaster cultural
recovery’ and the virtues of cultural heritage in recovery processes”.

Regeneration and Resurgence

But amid adversity, there are signs of regeneration and resurgence. Against all the odds, the Qiangic
peoples strive to reclaim their ancestral heritage, resisting the tide of change with unwavering
determination. The gzhi bdag cult experienced a revival in the 1980s, and its “citadels” (home of the
gzhi bdag), which are sacred natural sites, became beacons of hope in a rapidly changing world.
Tragically it was not until the 1990s that trance mediums were allowed to practice again but by then
there were very few in existence.
portends for the future
As the Qiangic peoples navigate the complexities of the present, the future remains uncertain. Will
their resilience be enough to withstand the challenges that lie ahead? Or will the forces of modernity
and heritagization prevail, reshaping the landscapes and cultures of Tibet irreversibly?
In the echo of their enspirited land, the Qiangic peoples find strength in unity, drawing upon their
ancient wisdom to forge a path forward. Their story is one of resilience, regeneration, and the
enduring bond between humanity and nature—a testament to the power of spirit in a world in flux.