Literature of the Li

Without written language, the Li have spent his traditions to themselves orally.

The most famous myths are "a Singing of the flood" and "The cane of pumpkin", extended throughout. In "The brothers marry" there are seen traces of the primitive familiar organization. His myth of the "Strong god" is similar to the Chinese of "Houyi shoots to the sun".

There are other myths that reflect the epoch totémica of the society, like "Dog of sky", "Yuejia xilui", "The wife snake", others what they reflect is the differences of classes, like "5 sisters and the snake of the south" or "The beautiful bamboo". Others speak about love, pushing the tidy marriages, like that back "The young woman who loved to the small dragon" or "daring Dashi".

The songs are an inseparable part of the life of the Li, they all can sing but they are especially frequent between the young people, especially in the form of short duets. As "Singing of the marriage".

Other singings reflect daily activities of the people, as it is "Cutting trees in the mountain" or "Descascarillando the rice", and this way they go so far as to include any aspect of the society. Some songs are sung in the languages Li, other times in the Chinese Hainan dialect.

"The ballad of the animals" is a long poem in which every animal species is described, with his customs, etc. the Whole compendium of the tribal zoology

The Li have several traditional musical instruments. And some dances typical of them, of different aspects. Religious, like "Dance of the good ones" or "Dance of the devils". Heroic like "Dance of the drum" or "Dance of the deer". Of the daily activities, as: "Cutting firewood" or "Cleaning the grain".

In the textiles it is where better it is possible to see the art Li, especially those that the women weave to dress in the holidays.

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