Ruheng Duoji

Both born in the village of Luoshui, in Yunnan, China, Onci Archei and Ruheng Duoji started the Moso Folk Museum at the shores of Lugu Lake in 2001. Serving as co-directors of the museum and searching for objects to display in it, the two men realized that mountainous villages a few hours’ hike from their homes practiced elaborate rituals no longer found in their own village of 2650 meters’ elevation. They decided to purchase a professional-quality video camera and forego their purchase of a vehicle in 2004 in order to document these rituals.

In 2005 they began collaborating with American anthropologist and filmmaker Tami Blumenfield on the Moso Media Project. This participatory film project included a digital photography and video training workshop held at the Moso Folk Museum in 2005 and the first Moso Film Festival, held at the museum in 2006.

In 2009 Onci Archei and Ruheng Duoji’s 2008 film, The Story of Yi Mi, was an official selection at the International Congress of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences Film Festival held in Kunming, China.

In 2011 Onci Archei and Ruheng Duoji created a film about the incarnate Buddha from Yongning, Luosang Yishi. They continue to be involved with filming and cultural work, moving beyond their home communities to work and film with ethnic groups living in Lijiang, Tibetan areas, and Qinghai.