Qing Imperial Illustrations of Tributaries: Nanai Dogsled

The depictions in Qing Imperial Illustrations of Tributaries (Huangqing zhigong tu) were prepared by court artists and include images of the Nanai people (or Hezhe), who primarily live in the northeast area of Heilongjiang Province in the northeast of China. Living outside the bounds of developed urban areas, the Nanai people are considered descendants of the Jurchen people; the Qing administration referred to them as the Canine-Employing Tribe of the Jurchens. Dogsleds have been a major means of transportation used by the Nanai people, and their trained dogs are able to travel 100-150 kilometers in one day and bear loads of approximately seventy kilograms. Active in transporting, hunting, and guarding, the Nanai’s dogs play an integral role in the daily life of the northern people group.