Abstract This article investigates how Li Yuanyang, a Yunnanese scholar of the Ming Dynasty, pursued cultural orthodoxy both for himself and his homeland. Through reconstructing Yunnan’s history, harmonising Buddhism with Confucianism, and showcasing the Chinese values practised in Yunnan, he positions himself as an orthodox Confucian literatus and defines Yunnan as an integral part of Chinese civilisation. Simultaneously, Li exhibits strong regional characteristics, perhaps unconsciously at times. He adopts some Bai-centric accounts, inherits Dali’s pre-Ming Buddhist legacy, and especially extols local moral exemplars, highlighting the cultural refinement of Yunnan individuals. Thus, his identity is double-sided, functioning as both a Chinese and a native scholar.
Yuan Xing (Thu,) studied this question.