Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s3.t7.31

v2.c10.s3.t7.31

Ramayana is not only popular among Han people, but also has a great impact on Dai, Tibetan and Mongolian people. Dai people in Yunnan have close economic, trade and cultural connection with India through the southwestern Silk Road, and enjoy a favourable geographic position in traffic with some countries in Southeast Asia. Here, *Ramayana* turns into *Lan Ga Xi He*. In other ethnic minorities in Yunnan, different Rama's stories are told. When Rama's stories are translated and adapted, local popular tales are added to give a localised colour. Geographically, religiously and culturally, Tibet is closely related to India, and translating classical Indian literature has been one of its traditions. Tibetan scholars translated and adapted *Ramayana*. In 1980, Sichuan Ethnic Publishing House published the Eulogy of *Ramayana* written by zhang-zhung-chos-dbang-grags-pa in the 15ᵗʰ century. It is reported, China has at least four Mongolian versions of Rama's stories. In Xinjiang, Rama's stories are preserved in ancient ethnic languages, such as Saka (Khotan), Tocharian and Agnean.