A-Shima

Author: Sun Wanrong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-07-01
Features: The story written in Asima originally circulated in the Yi branch of the Sanzi people living in the Guishan area of Yunnan. In early 1953, the Yunnan People's Art Troupe organized a Guishan Working Group to collect and organize the materials. Later, the Yunnan Branch of the Chinese Writers' Association reorganized them, resulting in the current definitive version. The long poem mainly tells the story of the beautiful and kind Asima being abducted by the tyrant Rebo Balja's family. Her brother Ahai goes to rescue her, defeating and subduing the Rebo Balja family through challenges like cutting trees, sowing seeds, fighting tigers, and shooting arrows, and rescuing Asima. On their way back, Asima is swept away by a flood and, in the end, turns into an echo. The entire poem features simple and fresh language, a clear and brisk rhythm, a plot structure of three comparisons and one rise, and three songs and one lament. It embodies the distinct narrative style of ethnic minority folk literature, vivid and expressive.