Introduction: Naxi studies, Naxiology and making the global case for a discipline

This introductory article to the volume deals with the historical development of an international Naxi Studies, and offers a review of the current situation of the discipline. Naxiology (the composition, provenance, and translation of Naxi manuscripts) is presented as a sub-discipline of Naxi Studies, and some recent landmark publications are introduced, alongside a discussion of the long-standing issue of Romanising the Naxi language. The interdisciplinary focus of this volume, dongba culture, is defended as a major component of Naxi studies around which all the individual contributions revolve.