Yi people

Last updated • 15 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Yi people
Market Woman,Yi Minority (44388070941).jpg
Zhongdian festival, Yi women (6169784389).jpg
Yi woman in Yunnan
Regions with significant populations
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 9 million (2010)
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 4,827 (2019) [1]
Languages
Yi, Southwestern Mandarin
Religion
Majority: Bimoism (native Yi variety of Shamanism); minority: Taoism
Related ethnic groups
Tibetan, Bamar (Burman), Nakhi, Qiang, Tujia
ꆈꌠꉙ

To further solidify a buffer zone between itself and the expansionistic Nanzhao kingdom, in 846 the Tang bestowed upon the patriarch of the Bole patriclan the hereditary title King of the Luodian kingdom (Luodian guo wang). In the same year the Tang forged a relationship with the Awangren branch of the Mo patriclan, which had settled in the Panxian–Puan area of southwest Guizhou, and recognized the Awangren as leaders of the Yushi kingdom. A year later, in 847, the Tang acknowledged the formation of the Badedian kingdom located in northeast Yunnan and headed by the Mangbu branch of the Azhe patriclan. These four kingdoms, Zangge (Mu'ege), Luodian, Yushi, and Badedian formed an initial Tang defensive perimeter between Nanzhao-controlled territory to the southwest and Tang China. [9]

John E. Herman

Yunnan kingdoms

Some historians believe that the majority of the kingdom of Nanzhao were of the Bai people, [10] but that the elite spoke a variant of Nuosu (also called Yi), a Tibeto-Burman language closely related to Burmese. [11] The Cuanman people came to power in Yunnan during Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign in 225. By the fourth century they had gained control of the region, but they rebelled against the Sui dynasty in 593 and were destroyed by a retaliatory expedition in 602. The Cuan split into two groups known as the Black and White Mywa. [12] The White Mywa (Baiman) tribes, who are considered the predecessors of the Bai people, settled on the fertile land of western Yunnan around the alpine fault lake Erhai. The Black Mywa (Wuman), considered to be predecessors of the Yi people, settled in the mountainous regions of eastern Yunnan. These tribes were called Mengshe (蒙舍), Mengxi (蒙嶲), Langqiong (浪穹), Tengtan (邆賧), Shilang (施浪), and Yuexi (越析). Each tribe was known as a zhao. [13] In academia, the ethnic composition of the Nanzhao kingdom's population has been debated for a century. Chinese scholars tend to favour the theory that the rulers came from the aforementioned Bai or Yi groups, while some non-Chinese scholars subscribed to the theory that the Tai ethnic group was a major component, that later moved south into modern-day Thailand and Laos. [14]

In 649, the chieftain of the Mengshe tribe, Xinuluo (細奴邏), founded the Great Meng (大蒙) and took the title of Qijia Wang (奇嘉王; "Outstanding King"). He acknowledged Tang suzerainty. [15] In 652, Xinuluo absorbed the White Mywa realm of Zhang Lejinqiu, who ruled Erhai Lake and Cang Mountain. This event occurred peacefully as Zhang made way for Xinuluo of his own accord. The agreement was consecrated under an iron pillar in Dali. Thereafter the Black and White Mywa acted as warriors and ministers respectively. [13]

In 704 the Tibetan Empire made the White Mywa tribes into vassals or tributaries. [12]

In the year 737 AD, with the support of the Tang dynasty, the great-grandson of Xinuluo, Piluoge (皮羅閣), united the six zhaos in succession, establishing a new kingdom called Nanzhao (Mandarin, "Southern Zhao"). The capital was established in 738 at Taihe, (the site of modern-day Taihe village, a few miles south of Dali). Located in the heart of the Erhai valley, the site was ideal: it could be easily defended against attack and it was in the midst of rich farmland. [16] Under the reign of Piluoge, the White Mywa were removed from eastern Yunnan and resettled in the west. The Black and White Mywa were separated to create a more solidified caste system of ministers and warriors. [13]

Nanzhao existed for 165 years until A.D. 902. After 35 years of tangled warfare, Duan Siping (段思平) of the Bai birth founded the Kingdom of Dali, succeeding the territory of Nanzhao. Most Yi of that time were under the ruling of Dali. Dali's sovereign reign lasted for 316 years until it was conquered by Kublai Khan. During the era of Dali, Yi people lived in the territory of Dali but had little communication with the royalty of Dali.

Kublai Khan included Dali in his domain. The Yuan emperors remained firmly in control of the Yi people and the area they inhabited as part of Kublai Khan's Yunnan Xingsheng (云南行省) at current Yunnan, Guizhou and part of Sichuan. In order to enhance its sovereign over the area, the Yuan dynasty set up a dominion for Yi, Luoluo Xuanweisi (罗罗宣慰司), the name of which means local appeasement government for Lolos. Although technically under the rule of the Yuan emperor, the Yi still had autonomy during the Yuan dynasty. The gulf between aristocrats and the common people increased during this time.

Ming and Qing dynasties

Canadian Methodist missionaries William John Mortimore and Charles Winfield Service among the Yi tribesmen of southwestern Sichuan, before 1911. W. J. Mortimore and C. W. Service with Nosu people.png
Canadian Methodist missionaries William John Mortimore and Charles Winfield Service among the Yi tribesmen of southwestern Sichuan, before 1911.

Beginning with the Ming dynasty, the Chinese empire expedited its cultural assimilation policy in Southwestern China, spreading the policy of gaitu guiliu (改土歸流, 'replacing tusi (local chieftains) with "normal" officials'). [17] The governing power of many Yi feudal lords had previously been expropriated by the successors of officials assigned by the central government. With the progress of gaitu guiliu, the Yi area was dismembered into many communities both large and small, and it was difficult for the communities to communicate with each other as there were often Han-ruled areas between them.

The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty defeated Wu Sangui and took over the land of Yunnan and established a provincial government there. When Ortai became the Viceroy of Yunnan and Guizhou during the era of Yongzheng Emperor, the policy of gaitu guiliu and cultural assimilation against Yi were strengthened. Under these policies, Yi who lived near Kunming were forced to abandon their convention of traditional cremation and adopt burial, a policy which triggered rebellions among the Yi. The Qing dynasty suppressed these rebellions.

After the Second Opium War (1856–1860), many Christian missionaries from France and Great Britain visited the area in which the Yi lived. Although some missionaries believed that Yi of some areas such as Liangshan were not under the ruling of Qing dynasty and should be independent, most aristocrats insisted that Yi was a part of China despite their resentment against Qing rule.

Modern era

1891 map showing a "Lolo" enclave in modern Liangshan, Sichuan Miao enclave in China 1891.jpg
1891 map showing a "Lolo" enclave in modern Liangshan, Sichuan

Long Yun, a Yi, was the military governor of Yunnan, during the Republic of China rule on mainland China.

The Fourth Front Army of the CCP encountered the Yi people during the Long March and many Yi joined the communist forces. [18]

After the establishment of the PRC, several Yi autonomous administrative districts of prefecture or county level were set up in Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou. With the development of automotive traffic and telecommunications, the communications among different Yi areas have been increasing sharply.

Yi people face systematic discrimination and abuse as migrant laborers in contemporary China. [19]

Yi polities throughout history

Language

A religious document in ancient Yi script Manuscripts in the Yunnan Nationalities Museum - DSC03972.JPG
A religious document in ancient Yi script
Signpost in modern Yi Yi words sign.jpg
Signpost in modern Yi

The Chinese government recognizes six mutually unintelligible Yi languages, from various branches of the Loloish family: [21]

Northern Yi is the largest with some two million speakers and is the basis of the literary language. It is an analytic language. [22] There are also ethnically Yi languages of Vietnam which use the Yi script, such as Mantsi.

Many Yi in Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi know Standard Chinese and code-switching between Yi and Chinese is common.

Script

The Yi script was originally logosyllabic like Chinese and dates to at least the 13th century, but seems to be completely independent of any other known script. Until the early 20th century, usage of this script was primarily the domain of bimo priests for transmitting ritual texts from generation to generation. It was not until the mid-twentieth century that elite families in Liangshan began to use the script for non-religious purposes, such as letter writing. [23]

There were perhaps 10,000 characters, many of which were regional, since the script had never been standardized across the Yi peoples. A number of works of history, literature and medicine, as well as genealogies of the ruling families, written in the Old Yi script are still in use and there are Old Yi stone tablets and steles in the area.

An attempt to romanize the script was made in the 1950s but it failed to gain traction. In the 1970s and 1980s, the traditional script was standardized into a syllabary. Syllabic Yi is widely used in books, newspapers, street signs, and education, although with increasing influence from Chinese. [24]

Culture

A Yi woman in traditional dress Yi woman in traditional dressing.jpg
A Yi woman in traditional dress
Armor of Yi people, Qing dynasty Armor, Yi people, Sichuan province, China, painted hide, wood, leather - Peabody Museum, Harvard University - DSC06035.jpg
Armor of Yi people, Qing dynasty

Gender

Descent and inheritance in Yi society was traditionally patrilineal and men were generally considered superior to women. Men practiced polygamy and levirate marriage. Women were excluded from oral genealogies. [25] In certain locales, Yi women still lag behind men in terms of primary education and very few Yi women become educational instructors or political leaders. Yi women noticeably drank and smoked more than Han Chinese women. [26]

Names

The Yi use a son-father patronymic naming system. The last character of the father's name transfers to become the first character of the son's name. The last character of the son's name is then used as the first character of the grandson's name. A complete Yi name is composed of the clan name, the branch clan name, the father's name, and the person's own name (ex. Aho Bbujji Jjiha Lomusse). Aho is the name of a tribe, Bbuji is the name of a clan, Jjiha is the father's name, and Lomusse is a personal name. The name therefore means Lomusse the son of Jjiha of the Bbujji clan of the Aho tribe. Within the clan he would just be called Lomusse and within the tribe he would be called Jjiha Lomusse. Yi names use the suffixes -sse and -mo to express maleness and femaleness respectively. [27]

This system can also be seen in the names of Nanzhao's rulers: [28]

  • Xinuluo
  • Luosheng
  • Shengluopi
  • Piluoge
  • Geluofeng
  • Fengjiayi
  • Yimouxun
  • Xungequan
  • Quanfengyou – sought to imitate Chinese practices and only went by Fengyou; broke tradition and named his son Shilong [29]
  • Shilong
  • Longshun
  • Shunhuazhen

This is a tradition closely tied to Tibeto-Burman traditions and suggests that the rulers of Nanzhao were not Tai people. [28]

Slavery

Traditional Yi society was divided into four castes, the aristocratic nuohuo/nzymo Black Yi, the commoner qunuo/quho White Yi, the ajia/mgajie, and the xiaxi/gaxy. The Black Yi made up around 7 per cent of the population while the White Yi made up 50 per cent of the population. The two castes did not intermarry and the Black Yi were always considered of higher status than the White Yi, even if the White Yi was wealthier or owned more slaves. The White and Black Yi also lived in separate villages. The Black Yi did not farm, which was traditionally done by White Yi and slaves. Black Yi were responsible only for administration and military activities. The White Yi were not technically slaves but lived as indentured servants to the Black Yi. The Ajia made up 33 per cent of the population. They were owned by both the Black and White Yi and worked as indentured laborers lower than the White Yi. The Xiaxi were the lowest caste. They were slaves who lived with their owners' livestock and had no rights. They could be beaten, sold, and killed for sport. Membership of all four castes was through patrilineal descent. [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] The prevalence of the slave culture was so great that sometimes children were named after how many slaves they owned. For example: Lurbbu (many slaves), Lurda (strong slaves), Lurshy (commander of slaves), Lurnji (origin of slaves), Lurpo (slave lord), Lurha, (hundred slaves), Jjinu (lots of slaves). [27]

Cases of the caste slavery system's influence could be found as late as the 1980s and early 1990s, when nuohuo clans prevented marriage with qunuo or punished members who did. [36]

I once asked a nuoho friend, a highly educated man completely at home in the Chinese scholarly world, what he would do if his daughter, then about fourteen, were to want to marry a quho. He said he would oppose it. I asked him if this were not an old-fashioned attitude. He admitted that it was, but gave two explanations. First, he said, he just wouldn't feel right inside. More important, other nuoho might boycott his family for marrying out, and they would thenceforth have trouble marrying within the nuoho caste. This had happened to some of his affinal relatives in another county.
It is important to point out at the same time, however, that caste stratification in Liangshan has never, as far as I can tell, included notions of pollution or automatic deference, which are so important in the Indian caste system. In areas where there are both nuoho and quho, they socialize freely with one another, eating at each other's houses and often becoming close friends. None of this, however, breaks down the marriage barrier; only among highly educated urbanites is intermarriage ever considered, and then it is usually decided against; most nuoho would rather have their daughters marry a Hxiemga (Han Chinese) than a quho. [37]

Stevan Harrell

Folklore

The most famous hero in Yi mythology is Zhyge Alu. He was the son of a dragon and an eagle who possessed supernatural strength, anti-magic, and anti-ghost powers. He rode a nine-winged flying horse called "long heavenly wings." He also had the help of a magical peacock and python. The magical peacock was called Shuotnyie Voplie and could deafen the ears of those who heard its cry, but if invited into one's house, would consume evil and expel leprosy. The python, called Bbahxa Ayuosse, was defeated by Zhyge Alu, who wrestled with it in the ocean after transforming into a dragon. It was said to be able to detect leprosy, cure tuberculosis, and eradicate epidemics. Like the Chinese mythological archer, Hou Yi, Zhyge Alu shoots down the suns to save the people. [38] In the Yi religion Bimoism, Zhyge Alu aids the bimo priests in curing leprosy and fighting ghosts. [39]

Jiegujienuo was a ghost that caused dizziness, slowness in action, dementia and anxiety. The ghost was blamed for ailments and exorcism rituals were conducted to combat the ghost. The bimo erected small sticks considered to be sacred, the kiemobbur, at the ritual site in preparation. [39]

Torch Festival

The Torch Festival is one of the Yi people's main holidays. According to Yi legend, there were once two men of great strength, Sireabi and Atilaba. Sireabi lived in heaven while Atilaba on earth. When Sireabi heard of Atilaba's strength, he challenged Atilaba to a wrestling match. After suffering two defeats, Sireabi was killed in a bout, which greatly angered the bodhisattavas, who sent a plague of locusts to punish the earth. On the 24th day of the 6th month of the lunar calendar, Atilaba cut down many pine trees and used them as torches to kill the locusts, protecting the crops from destruction. The Torch Festival is thus held in his honor. [40]

Music

The Yi play a number of traditional musical instruments, including large plucked and bowed string instruments, [41] as well as wind instruments called bawu (巴乌) and mabu (马布). The Yi also play the hulu sheng, though unlike other minority groups in Yunnan, the Yi do not play the hulu sheng for courtship or love songs (aiqing). The kouxian, a small four-pronged instrument similar to the Jew's harp, is another commonly found instrument among the Liangshan Yi. Kouxian songs are most often improvised and are supposed to reflect the mood of the player or the surrounding environment. Kouxian songs can also occasionally function in the aiqing form. Yi dance is perhaps the most commonly recognized form of musical performance, as it is often performed during publicly sponsored holidays and/or festival events.

Literature

Artist Colette Fu, great-granddaughter of Long Yun has spent time from 1996 till present photographing the Yi community in Yunnan Province. Her series of pop-up books, titled We are Tiger Dragon People, includes images of many Yi groups. [42] [43]

Religion

Yi clothing (male) Yi Zu Tu Bu Xiang Bian Nan Fu .jpg
Yi clothing (male)

Bimoism

A symbol used to represent the Bimoist faith Yi Bimoism symbol.svg
A symbol used to represent the Bimoist faith
Bimoism [44] (Chinese :毕摩教; pinyin :Bìmójiào, Yi: ꀘꂾbi mox) is the indigenous religion of the Yi people, the largest ethnic group in Yunnan after the Han Chinese. It takes its name from the bimo, shaman-priests who are also masters of Yi language and scriptures, wearing distinctive black robes and large hats.

Other religions

Yi people
Chinese name
Chinese 彝族
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Yízú
Wade–Giles Yi2-tsu2

In Yunnan, some of the Yi have adopted Buddhism as a result of exchanges with other predominantly Buddhist ethnic groups present in Yunnan, such as the Dai and the Tibetans. The most important god of Yi Buddhism is Mahākāla, a wrathful deity found in Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism. In the 20th century, many Yi people in China converted to Christianity, after the arrival of Gladstone Porteous in 1904 and, later, medical missionaries such as Alfred James Broomhall, Janet Broomhall, Ruth Dix and Joan Wales of the China Inland Mission. According to missionary organization OMF International, the exact number of Yi Christians is not known. In 1991 it was reported that there were as many as 1,500,000 Yi Christians in Yunnan Province, especially in Luquan County where there are more than 20 churches.

Medicine

The Yi are known for the extent of their inter-generational transmission of traditional medicine through oral tradition and written records. Their traditional medicine system has been academically inventoried. [45] Since the prefecture the Yi medicinal data was collected from also contains the cave containing human-infectable SARS clades and it is known that people living in the vicinity SARS caves show serological signs of past infection, [46] [47] it has been suggested that the Yi were repeatably exposed to coronavirus over their history, passively learned to medicinally fend off coronavirus infection centuries ago, and committed the results into their inter-generational record of medicinal indications. [48]

Distribution

Yi autonomous prefectures and counties in China Yi autonomous prefectures and counties in China.png
Yi autonomous prefectures and counties in China
Yi population by counties Ethnic Yi.png
Yi population by counties
County-level distribution of the Yi 2000 census in China.

(Only includes counties or county-equivalents containing >1% of county population.)

County/cityYi %Yi populationTotal population
Sichuan province2.582,122,38982,348,296
Panzhihua city10.11110,3261,091,657
Dong district1.253,945315,707
Xi district1.843,148170,862
Renhe district19.0638,907204,170
Miyi county13.2127,381207,300
Yanbian county19.0836,945193,618
Leshan city3.53117,3553,324,139
Jinkouhe district10.155,37352,916
Ebian Yi autonomous county30.6543,269141,166
Mabian Yi autonomous county39.1566,723170,425
Pingshan county2.005,004250,620
Yaan city2.0431,0131,522,845
Hanyuan county4.5115,686347,471
Shimian county11.1713,769123,261
Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture2.5622,946897,239
Luding county4.403,42477,855
Jiulong county37.0118,80650,816
Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture44.431,813,6834,081,697
Xichang city16.48101,369615,212
Muli Tibetan autonomous county27.7134,489124,462
Yanyuan county47.67149,568313,765
Dechang county23.1843,810188,980
Huili county17.3375,064433,185
Huidong county6.9124,279351,310
Ningnan county21.8537,134169,962
Puge county76.55106,521139,156
Butuo county95.44132,285138,604
Jinyang county78.42109,813140,028
Zhaojue county96.75200,951207,712
Xide county85.74118,048137,676
Mianning county33.39108,289324,332
Yuexi county72.54172,505237,800
Ganluo county68.66120,445175,426
Meigu county97.81172,356176,214
Leibo county51.36106,757207,873
Guizhou province2.39843,55435,247,695
Baiyun district1.041,961187,695
Qingzhen city1.657,761471,305
Liupanshui city9.56262,3082,744,085
Zhongshan district5.6425,549453,293
Liuzhi special district11.3261,319541,762
Shuicheng county11.7079,339678,228
Pan county8.9796,1011,070,802
Qianxi'nan Bouyei Miao autonomous prefecture2.0558,7662,864,920
Xingyi city2.0214,521719,605
Xingren county2.4410,372425,091
Puan county2.666,905259,881
Qinglong county6.7617,436258,031
Anlong county2.289,094399,384
Bijie prefecture7.41468,8006,327,471
Bijie city4.2648,0941,128,230
Dafang county10.8492,295851,729
Qianxi county8.6760,420697,075
Jinsha county4.1720,696496,063
Zhijin county3.8131,420825,350
Nayong county5.7237,840661,772
Weining Yi Hui Miao autonomous county9.0695,6291,056,009
Hezhang county13.4882,406611,243
Yunnan province11.114,705,65842,360,089
Kunming city6.65384,5315,781,294
Wuhua district2.5610,580413,420
Panlong district1.595,468344,754
Guandu district3.3847,3111,398,305
Xishan district5.0730,617603,363
Dongchuan district3.268,984275,564
Chenggong county1.222,202180,685
Jinning county7.6420,443267,739
Fumin county7.4410,422140,046
Yiliang county6.0624,051396,677
Shilin Yi autonomous county32.4972,779223,978
Luquan Yi Miao autonomous county22.4596,388429,355
Xundian Hui Yi autonomous county8.9142,934481,721
Anning city3.349,872295,173
Qujing city3.85210,3515,466,089
Qilin district2.1614,041648,956
Malong county3.416,326185,766
Shizong county6.2121,718349,770
Luoping county6.4433,159515,211
Fuyuan county7.1647,076657,474
Huize county2.0016,910844,485
Zhanyi county2.168,406389,838
Xuanwei city4.4657,7081,292,825
Yuxi city19.32400,4122,073,005
Hongta district9.0236,905409,044
Jiangchuan county5.4814,087257,078
Chengjiang county1.822,726149,748
Tonghai county5.8216,017275,063
Huaning county21.2941,844196,519
Yimen county26.7545,362169,581
Eshan Yi autonomous county52.3679,289151,426
Xinping Yi Dai autonomous county46.20122,259264,615
Yuanjiang Hani Yi Dai autonomous county20.9741,923199,931
Zhaotong prefecture3.23148,5214,592,388
Zhaotong city2.5818,758727,959
Ludian county2.518,686345,740
Qiaojia county2.8613,183461,034
Daguan county1.984,667235,802
Yongshan county4.7217,130362,943
Zhenxiong county5.7863,4631,097,093
Yiliang county4.2420,269477,811
Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture26.31668,9372,542,530
Chuxiong city19.0595,959503,682
Shuangbai county43.1066,110153,403
Mouding county22.0343,032195,322
Nanhua county36.0782,223227,970
Yaoan county25.3850,526199,071
Dayao county29.5282,620279,838
Yongren county49.4451,223103,606
Yuanmou county24.2549,179202,779
Wuding county30.1879,254262,601
Lufeng county16.6168,811414,258
Honghe Hani Yi autonomous prefecture23.57973,7324,130,463
Gejiu city20.2791,902453,311
Kaiyuan city33.0996,647292,039
Mengzi county29.3899,917340,051
Pingbian Miao autonomous county18.5127,596149,088
Jianshui county29.02149,071513,712
Shiping county53.67148,987277,580
Mile county30.92153,235495,642
Luxi county7.9929,202365,585
Yuanyang county24.0187,137362,950
Honghe county14.2338,086267,627
Jinping Miao Yao Dai autonomous county11.9737,837316,171
Lüchun county4.929,894201,256
Hekou Yao autonomous county4.424,22195,451
Wenshan Zhuang Miao autonomous prefecture10.62347,1943,268,553
Wenshan county17.2874,255429,639
Yanshan county21.1192,356437,508
Xichou county3.959,332236,120
Malipo county2.256,036267,986
Maguan county9.1632,056350,002
Qiubei county18.0578,327434,009
Guangnan county5.8442,675730,376
Funing county3.1712,157382,913
Pu'er city16.58411,1202,480,346
Simao district15.1234,904230,834
Ning'er Hani Yi autonomous county19.4536,589188,106
Mojiang Hani autonomous county9.2332,812355,364
Jingdong Yi autonomous county39.92140,556352,089
Jinggu Dai Yi autonomous county20.5959,476288,794
Zhenyuan Yi Hani Lahu autonomous county27.2856,119205,709
Jiangcheng Hani Yi autonomous county13.4713,503100,243
Menglian Dai Lahu Va autonomous county2.404,999208,593
Lancang Lahu autonomous county6.7431,255464,016
Ximeng Va autonomous county1.0590786,598
Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture5.6155,772993,397
Jinghong city5.5624,673443,672
Menghai county2.287,175314,068
Mengla county10.1523,924235,657
Dali Bai autonomous prefecture12.94426,6343,296,552
Dali city2.9515,385521,169
Yangbi Yi autonomous county46.0948,565105,380
Xiangyun county7.2631,733437,371
Binchuan county6.2720,332324,412
Midu county8.3524,791296,860
Nanjian Yi autonomous county47.2499,159209,887
Weishan Yi Hui autonomous county34.07100,879296,124
Yongping county26.5647,391178,438
Yunlong county5.4510,739196,978
Eryuan county3.009,443315,003
Jianchuan county2.884,771165,900
Heqing county5.4013,446249,030
Baoshan prefecture3.2375,8772,348,315
Baoshan city4.6139,025846,865
Shidian county3.6211,360314,187
Longling county1.834,758260,097
Changning county6.0420,123333,241
Lijiang prefecture18.68210,4311,126,646
Lijiang Naxi autonomous county2.428,871366,705
Yongsheng county12.4346,703375,769
Huaping county8.2612,808154,968
Ninglang Yi autonomous county61.97142,049229,204
Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture1.999,805491,824
Lushui county2.283,915171,974
Lanping Bai Pumi autonomous county2.915,727196,977
Diqing Tibetan autonomous prefecture3.2911,616353,518
Zhongdian county6.509,586147,416
Weixi Lisu autonomous county1.382,016146,017
Lincang prefecture15.77367,8802,332,570
Lincang county5.4315,478285,163
Fengqing county27.61117,883426,943
Yun county37.96158,099416,507
Yongde county8.6829,521339,918
Zhenkang county17.1931,334182,258
Shuangjiang Lahu Va Blang Dai autonomous county1.572,605165,982
Gengma Dai Va autonomous county3.5711,193313,220
Longlin autonomous county (Guangxi)1.033,563347,462

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yunnan</span> Province in Southwest China

Yunnan is an inland province in Southwestern China. The province spans approximately 394,000 km2 (152,000 sq mi) and has a population of 47.2 million. The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Sichuan, autonomous regions of Guangxi and Tibet, as well as Southeast Asian countries Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam, and Laos. Yunnan is China's fourth least developed province based on disposable income per capita in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bai people</span> Sino-Tibetan ethnic group of Southwest China

The Bai or Pai, are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, Bijie area of Guizhou Province, and Sangzhi area of Hunan Province. The Bai constitute one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by China, with a population of 2,091,543.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gelao people</span> Ethnic group in China and Vietnam

The Gelao people are an ethnic group of China and Vietnam. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. However, many Gelao are also variously classified as Yi, Miao, and Zhuang by the Chinese government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lijiang</span> Prefecture-level city in Yunnan, Peoples Republic of China

Lijiang, formerly romanized as Likiang, is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Yunnan Province, China. It has an area of 21,219 square kilometres (8,193 sq mi) and had a population of 1,253,878 at the 2020 census whom 288,787 lived in the built-up area (metro) made of Gucheng District. Lijiang is famous for its UNESCO Heritage Site, the Old Town of Lijiang, which contains a mixture of different historical architecture styles and a complex, ancient water-supply system. and borders Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture and Panzhihua City in Sichuan Province to the east. It has one municipality and four counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanzhao</span> Kingdom in southern China (738–902)

Nanzhao was a dynastic kingdom that flourished in what is now southwestern China and northern Southeast Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries, during the mid/late Tang dynasty. It was centered on present-day Yunnan in China, with its capitals in modern-day Dali City. The kingdom was officially called Dameng (大蒙) from 738 to 859 AD, Dali (大禮) from 859 to 877 and Dafengmin (大封民) from 877 to 902.

Nuosu or Nosu, also known as Northern Yi, Liangshan Yi, and Sichuan Yi, is the prestige language of the Yi people; it has been chosen by the Chinese government as the standard Yi language and, as such, is the only one taught in schools, both in its oral and written forms. It was spoken by two million people and was increasing ; 60% were monolingual. Nuosu is the native Nuosu name for their own language and is not used in Mandarin Chinese, though it may sometimes be translated as Nuòsūyǔ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dali Kingdom</span> Former Chinese state

The Dali Kingdom, also known as the Dali State, was a dynastic state situated in modern Yunnan province, China from 937 until 1253. In 1253, it was conquered by the Mongols but members of its former ruling house continued to administer the area as tusi chiefs under the auspices of the Yuan dynasty until the Ming conquest of Yunnan in 1382. Today the former capital of the Dali Kingdom is still called Dali in modern Yunnan Province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yi script</span> Script used to write the Yi languages

The Yi scripts are two scripts used to write the Yi languages; Classical Yi, and the later Yi syllabary. The script is historically known in Chinese as Cuan Wen or Wei Shu and various other names (夷字、倮語、倮倮文、畢摩文), among them "tadpole writing" (蝌蚪文).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture</span> Autonomous prefecture in Yunnan, China

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xiangyun County</span> County in Yunnan, China

Xiangyun County is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in the west-central part of Yunnan province, China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torch Festival</span> Holiday in southwest China

The Torch Festival or Fire Festival, also known as the Xinghui Festival is one of the main holidays of the Yi people of southwest China and is celebrated by other ethnic groups of the region as well. It is celebrated on the 24th or 25th day of the sixth month of the Yi calendar, corresponding to August in the Gregorian calendar. It commemorates the legendary wrestler Atilabia, who drove away a plague of locusts using torches made from pine trees. Since 1993, the government of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan has sponsored a modernised celebration of the festival featuring wrestling, horse racing, dance shows, and a beauty contest.

The Northern Loloish languages, also known as Northern Ngwi, are a branch of the Loloish languages that includes the literary standard of the Yi people. In Lama's (2012) classification, it is called Nisoid (Nisu–Lope), which forms the Nisoish branch together with the Axi-Puoid languages.

The Nisoish or Yi languages, which contains both the Northern Loloish and Southeastern Loloish branches, are a branch of the Loloish languages proposed by Lama (2012). Northern Loloish and Southeastern Loloish were established by Bradley (1997), while the Nisoish group combining Bradley's two branches was proposed by Ziwo Lama (2012). Lama (2012) refers to Northern Loloish as Nisoid or Nisu–Lope, and Southeastern Loloish as Axi–Puoid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bimoism</span> Indigenous religion of the Yi people

Bimoism is the indigenous religion of the Yi people, the largest ethnic group in Yunnan after the Han Chinese. It takes its name from the bimo, shaman-priests who are also masters of Yi language and scriptures, wearing distinctive black robes and large hats.

Cuanman was an ethnic group in northern Yunnan, China. They came into power after assisting Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign and dominated Yunnan during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. They were defeated by the Sui dynasty in 602 and split into the Baiman and Wuman, allegedly the ancestors of modern-day Bai people and Yi people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuotuorou</span> Chinese pork dish

Tuotuorou is a dish of the Yi people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi provinces of China. It is often served to guests in Yi households, along with buckwheat pancakes, garlic soup and unpeeled boiled potatoes. It consists of tender chunks of pork taken from young pigs of less than 15 kilograms (33 lb) in weight. This is seasoned with local herbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azhaliism</span>

Azhaliism, also known as Dianmi or Baimi, is a Vajrayana Buddhist religion practiced among the Bai people of Yunnan, China. The name comes from lay tantric priests called azhali who are key figures in the religion, known for their use of spells and mantras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ziqi</span>

Ziqi was a kingdom established by the Wuman in southwestern China during the Song dynasty. The territory of Ziqi included parts of modern-day Guizhou, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mu'ege</span> Yi Tusi chiefdom (300–1698)

Mu'ege was a Nasu Yi chiefdom in modern Guizhou that existed from 300 to 1698. Since 1279, Mu'ege was conquered by the Yuan dynasty and became Chiefdom of Shuixi under the Chinese tusi system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luoshi Kingdom</span>

The Luoshi Kingdom, commonly referred to in Tang documents as the Luoshi Ghost Kingdom, was a Nasu speaking ethnic Yi state located in modern-day Guizhou during the Tang and Song dynasties. The people practiced Bimoism, an indigenous faith that used shamanist rituals; its ruler called itself the "Great Ghost Lord" (大鬼主). The nucleus of the kingdom was located on the west bank of the Yachi River.

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Further reading