Naxi Dongba script: the world's last surviving living pictographic writing system, used by the Naxi people of Lijiang. Unlike phonetic alphabets or logographic Chinese characters, Dongba symbols (glyphs) are essentially stylized drawings. Traditionally, only Dongba priests could read them, primarily for ritual manuscripts related to Bön-influenced shamanism. The symbols visible include local fauna and elements of daily life: a bird's head, ox horns, a donkey or rabbit, and human-like figures. The script is mnemotechnic; one glyph often represents a whole phrase or concept rather than a single word, making it impossible to read without prior knowledge of the oral traditions. It is written on handmade Daphne bark paper, which is naturally insect-resistant and durable. While now popularized for tourism and decorative murals, the script remains a UNESCO Memory of the World heritage item, preserving a pre-Buddhist worldview where spirits inhabit all natural features.