Abstract: The mythology system of the Yi people is stored in their genesis epics and hero epics. Elements of these epics and myths are widely used in development of resorts of cultural tourism, as image landscape narrative to name or form tourist attractions for example. In these examples the most used images include totems in the Yi genesis epics, such as the tiger, the eagle and the gourd, Ahpudumu – the earliest Yi ancestor – and his six sons as well as Zhigeahlu the mythical hero. Equally important landscape components are images of fire and colors, which are objects of primitive worship of the Yi. In tourist and cultural image landscape narrative, the ancient divine narrative identified by a whole nation as structurally significant is secularized, i.e. its original nationally identified cultural significance is dissolved and reconstructed and the ceremonial and systematic mythological narrative is fragmented into image landscape narrative. In this process, the traditional folk cultural resources are transformed into modern economic resources and eventually realize their economic value by satisfying spiritual and aesthetic needs of contemporary consumers through their transmutation into important spiritual and cultural consumer goods for modern human beings pursuing poetic and scenic beauty of a land far away and exotic.

Key words: Yi mythology, cultural tourism, image landscape, cultural and innovative product