Lan Xin’s Tribute to the 31st World Book Day

Lan Xin (Lan Xin)

World Memory Heritage The Only Female Inheritor of Dongba Culture, International Renowned Writer & Poet. Internationally acclaimed bilingual writer, poet and translator, member of the Chinese Writers Association. The only female inheritor of UNESCO-listed Dongba Culture, International Disseminator of Dongba Culture and practitioner of Chinese culture’s global outreach. Winner of the Italian Francesco Giampietri International Literary Award, President of Lanxin Samei Academy and Dean of Yulong Wenbi Dongba Culture Academy.

Eva Lianou Petropoulou
Αποκλειστικη Eκπρόσωπος για την Ελλάδα για την προώθηση της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς – Dongba Culture Κίνα

Speech by Lan Xin at the International Forum on “Dongba Culture in Dialogue with the World”

Dongba Wisdom and Diverse Civilizations:
A Spiritual Answer for Humanity By Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

On this 31st World Book Day, I wish to share the story behind my collaborative work with Ms. Fiori Picco, the Italian international writer, in which she interviewed me about the creative journey of  book Decoding Dongba Culture.
Here, at the forum Dongba Culture in Dialogue with the World, as I reflect on the making of Decoding Dongba Culture, the morning light of Snow Mountain still seems to filter gently through the carved windows of Dongba Culture Academy, falling softly upon the yellowed ancient Dongba scriptures on my desk. As my fingertips brush across the pictographic patterns between the lines, all those days and nights of near-seclusion, deep immersion away from the secular world, silent searching in solitude, and the thrills of embracing inner inspiration suddenly surge to my heart, warming my eyes.
Decoding Dongba Culture is the fruit of years of dedicated cultural exploration. Taking Dongba culture as its anchor, it delves into the profound essence of heaven and earth, civilization, and life itself. Forged word by word amid the morning bells and evening drums of this millennial academy, it embodies unwavering original aspiration, and a blossoming symbiosis of life wisdom and diverse civilizations at the tip of a pen.
In an age dominated by AI, where many rely on technology to compile and borrow phrases, I have always upheld pure originality. Not a single part of this manuscript was assisted by artificial intelligence, nor did I rely heavily on fragmented online sources. I am deeply aware that many scattered records of Dongba culture are biased and superficial. What I strive to present to the world is an authoritative, in-depth interpretation that restores the authentic form of Dongba culture.

Such confidence stems from my profound study and spiritual understanding of Dongba culture. The codes of civilization and the essence of philosophy are deeply engraved in my heart and flow in my mind, requiring no external proof. More importantly, it comes from my great vow and life mission. As the only female inheritor who has broken the millennium-old hereditary rules of Dongba culture and its international messenger to the world, I write every single word with the utmost responsibility for this shared heritage of humanity, meticulous dedication, and relentless pursuit of perfection. This is my reverence for Dongba culture, my faith in self-awareness, and my commitment to the inheritance of human civilization.
This book is a symbiosis of diverse wisdom. Using Dongba culture as a starting point yet reaching far beyond it, it ranges from creation myths to the philosophy of life and death, from ritual codes to cosmic awareness, from understandings of multiple worlds to reflections on higher dimensions and parallel civilizations. It connects the Dongba belief that all things have spirits with the benevolence of Confucianism, the harmony of Taoism, and the traditional wisdom of kindness and balance. Every chapter breaks the boundaries of cognition, and every theme questions the very nature of existence.
I have always believed that true cultural inheritance requires not only preserving the authenticity of heritage but also building bridges of dialogue between civilizations with clear vision and an open mind. With this commitment, the book rises above niche cultural interpretation to become a carrier of wisdom connecting tradition and modernity, East and West, material reality and spiritual inner worlds. It allows the Dongba ideals of revering heaven, loving humanity, and coexisting with all beings to resonate deeply with the universal spiritual pursuit of humanity.
Looking back over the years, from my initial exploration of Dongba culture to systematically decoding its core, from single-subject research to the integration of diverse wisdom, from lonely searching to surging inspiration, I have come to understand deeply: the height of a book lies in the author’s vision; its depth in the weight of their thought; its breadth in their love and wisdom. The spiritual realm of the author ultimately defines the boundaries of the work.

My lifelong vow is to bring the millennial wisdom of Dongba to the world, and to make this World Memory Heritage seen, understood, and cherished by all humanity. I hope this book will be more than a cultural carrier — it will be a bridge for the soul. No matter whether you are in the East or the West, no matter what language you speak, may you read between the lines and understand my reverence for civilization, my sincerity toward life, my practice of boundless love, my inquiry into the mysteries of heaven and earth, my understanding of Confucian and Taoist philosophy, and my pursuit of universal consciousness and harmonious coexistence of diverse civilizations, so that we may become soul companions beyond race and borders.
The wisdom within these words is not only an oriental treasure but also a shared spiritual wealth of all human civilizations. It holds the Dongba way of all things having spirits, carries the life philosophy of harmony between man and nature from Confucian and Taoist traditions, reflects the inner connection of all life on earth, and embodies the collision and resonance of interstellar and diverse civilizations. May it be like the pure snow and ice of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, nourishing every heart that seeks goodness; like the flowing Jinsha River, connecting every search for truth across the world; like light traveling through the cosmos, crossing boundaries of race, culture, and geography to reach every soul longing for wisdom and inner growth.
On this World Book Day, I offer you a classic auspicious blessing from the ancient Dongba scriptures, to every friend present and online, to every reader across borders — may all be well!

Dongba Culture Academy, China
April 23, 2026