Helen Rees's Echoes of History: Naxi Music in Modern China chronicles the Dongjing music of the Naxi people, tracing its evolution from a ritualistic, Han Chinese-influenced practice for the elite into a form of secular tourist entertainment and a symbol of cultural revival. The book serves as a case study for broader cultural changes in China, examining how state ethnic policies impacted the tradition, while simultaneously highlighting the crucial role of individual choices in its adaptation and revival. By integrating individual, local, and national histories, Rees provides a vivid account of Dongjing music's transformation, illustrating its adaptation to new roles as ritual, entertainment, and an economic asset within the powerful forces of state policy and the tourism industry.

2000, Oxford University Press, paperback, with a CD, very good condition.