Transcriptions | |
---|---|
Standard Mandarin | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Nuòsū |
Wade–Giles | No4-su1 |
Transcriptions | |
---|---|
Standard Mandarin | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Luǒluǒ |
Wade–Giles | Lo3-lo3 |
The Yi or Nuosu people (Nuosu:ꆈꌠ, [nɔ̄sū] ;see also §Names and subgroups) are an ethnic group in southern China. Numbering nine million people,they are the seventh largest of the 55 ethnic minority groups recognized by the Chinese government. They live primarily in rural areas of Sichuan,Yunnan,Guizhou,and Guangxi,usually in mountainous regions. The Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture is home to the largest population of Yi people within China,with two million Yi people in the region. In neighbouring Vietnam,as of 2019 [update] ,there are 4,827 LôLôpeople (a subgroup of the Yi) living in the HàGiang,Cao Bằng,and Lào Cai provinces,in the country's north.
The Yi speak various Loloish languages,closely related to Burmese. The prestige variety is Nuosu,which is written in the Yi script.
Of the more than 9 million Yi people,over 4.5 million live in Yunnan Province,2.5 million live in southern Sichuan Province and 1 million live in the northwest corner of Guizhou Province. Nearly all the Yi live in mountainous areas,[ citation needed ] often carving out their existence on the sides of steep mountain slopes far from the cities of China.
The altitudinal differences of the Yi areas directly affect the climate and precipitation of these areas. These striking differences are the basis of the old saying that "The weather is different a few miles away" in the Yi area. Yi populations in different areas are very different from one another,making their living in completely different ways. [2]
Although different groups of Yi refer to themselves in different ways (including Nisu,Sani,Axi,Lolo,and Acheh) and sometimes speak mutually unintelligible languages,they have been grouped into a single ethnicity by the Chinese and the various local appellations can be classified into three groups:
Groups listed below are sorted by their broad linguistic classification and the general geographic area where they live. Within each section,larger groups are listed first.
Classification | Approximate total population | Groups |
---|---|---|
Southern | 1,082,120 | Nisu,Southern Nasu,Muji,A Che,Southern Gaisu,Pula, Boka,Lesu,Chesu,Laowu,Alu,Azong,Xiuba |
Southeastern | 729,760 | Poluo,Sani,Axi,Azhe,Southeastern Lolo,Jiasou,Puwa, Aluo,Awu,Digao,Meng,Xiqi,Ati,Daizhan,Asahei,Laba, Zuoke,Ani,Minglang,Long |
Central | 565,080 | Lolopo,Dayao Lipo,Central Niesu,Enipu,Lopi,Popei |
Eastern | 1,456,270 | Eastern Nasu,Panxian Nasu,Wusa Nasu,Shuixi Nosu, Wuding Lipo,Mangbu Nosu,Eastern Gepo,Naisu,Wumeng, Naluo,Samei,Sanie,Luowu,Guopu,Gese,Xiaohei Neisu, Dahei Neisu,Depo,Laka,Lagou,Aling,Tushu,Gouzou, Wopu,Eastern Samadu |
Western | 1,162,040 | Mishaba Laluo,Western Lolo,Xiangtang,Xinping Lalu, Yangliu Lalu,Tusu,Gaiji,Jiantou Laluo,Xijima,Limi,Mili, Lawu,Qiangyi,Western Samadu,Western Gepo, Xuzhang Lalu,Eka,Western Gaisu,Suan,Pengzi |
Northern | 2,534,120 | Shengba Nosu,Yinuo Nosu,Xiaoliangshan Nosu,Butuo Nosu, Suodi,Tianba Nosu,Bai Yi,Naruo,Naru,Talu,Mixisu,Liwu, Northern Awu,Tagu,Liude,Naza,Ta'er |
Unclassified | 55,490 | Michi (Miqie),Jinghong Nasu,Apu,Muzi,Tanglang,Micha, Ayizi,Guaigun |
According to Yi legend,all life originated in water and water was created by snowmelt,which as it dripped down,created a creature called the Ni. The Ni gave birth to all life. Ni is another name for the Yi people. It is sometimes translated as black because black is a revered color in Yi culture. [7] Yi tradition tells us that their common ancestor was named Apu Dumu ꀉꁌꅋꃅ or ꀉꁌꐧꃅ (Axpu Ddutmu or Axpu Jjutmu). Apu Dumu had three wives,each of whom had two sons. The six sons migrated to the area that is now Zhaotong and spread out in the four directions,creating the Wu,Zha,Nuo,Heng,Bu,and Mo clans. [8] The Yi practiced a lineage system where younger brothers were treated as slaves by their elders,which resulted in a culture of migration where younger brothers constantly left their villages to create their own domains. [7]
The Heng clan divided into two branches. One branch,known as the Wumeng,settled along the western slope of the Wumeng Mountain range,extending their control as far west as modern day Zhaotong,Yunnan. The other branch,known as the Chele,moved along the eastern slope of the Wumeng Mountain range and settled to the north of the Chishui River. By the Tang dynasty (618–907),the Chele occupied the area from today Xuyong county in Sichuan to Bijie city in Guizhou. The Bu clan fragmented into four branches. The Bole branch settled in Anshun,the Wusa branch settled in Weining,the Azouchi branch settled in Zhanyi,and the Gukuge branch settled in northeast Yunnan. The Mo clan,descended from Mujiji (慕齊齊),split into three branches. One branch known as the Awangren,led by Wualou,settled in southwest Guizhou and formed the Ziqi Kingdom. Wuake led the second branch,the Ayuxi,to settle near Ma'an Mountain south of Huize. Wuana led the third branch to settle in Hezhang. In the 3rd century AD,Wuana's branch split into the Mangbu branch in Zhenxiong,led by Tuomangbu,and Luodian (羅甸) in Luogen,led by Tuoazhe. By 300,Luodian covered over much of the Shuixi region. Its ruler,Moweng (莫翁),moved the capital to Mugebaizhage (modern Dafang),where he renamed his realm the Mu'ege kingdom,otherwise known as the Chiefdom of Shuixi. [8]
Kingdom | Ruling clan | Modern area |
---|---|---|
Badedian | Mangbu | Zhenxiong |
Luodian/Luoshi | Bole | Anshun |
Mu'ege | Luo | Dafang |
Ziqi/Yushi | Awangren | Southwest Guizhou |
After the Eastern Han dynasty,the Shu of the Three Kingdoms conducted several wars against the ancestors of Yi under the lead of Zhuge Liang. They defeated the king of Yi,ꂽꉼ ( Mot Hop ,孟获) and expanded their conquered territory in Yi area. After that,the Jin Dynasty succeeded Shu as the suzerain of Yi area but with weak control.
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.
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]
(Only includes counties or county-equivalents containing >1% of county population.)
County/city | Yi % | Yi population | Total population |
---|---|---|---|
Sichuan province | 2.58 | 2,122,389 | 82,348,296 |
Panzhihua city | 10.11 | 110,326 | 1,091,657 |
Dong district | 1.25 | 3,945 | 315,707 |
Xi district | 1.84 | 3,148 | 170,862 |
Renhe district | 19.06 | 38,907 | 204,170 |
Miyi county | 13.21 | 27,381 | 207,300 |
Yanbian county | 19.08 | 36,945 | 193,618 |
Leshan city | 3.53 | 117,355 | 3,324,139 |
Jinkouhe district | 10.15 | 5,373 | 52,916 |
Ebian Yi autonomous county | 30.65 | 43,269 | 141,166 |
Mabian Yi autonomous county | 39.15 | 66,723 | 170,425 |
Pingshan county | 2.00 | 5,004 | 250,620 |
Yaan city | 2.04 | 31,013 | 1,522,845 |
Hanyuan county | 4.51 | 15,686 | 347,471 |
Shimian county | 11.17 | 13,769 | 123,261 |
Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture | 2.56 | 22,946 | 897,239 |
Luding county | 4.40 | 3,424 | 77,855 |
Jiulong county | 37.01 | 18,806 | 50,816 |
Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture | 44.43 | 1,813,683 | 4,081,697 |
Xichang city | 16.48 | 101,369 | 615,212 |
Muli Tibetan autonomous county | 27.71 | 34,489 | 124,462 |
Yanyuan county | 47.67 | 149,568 | 313,765 |
Dechang county | 23.18 | 43,810 | 188,980 |
Huili county | 17.33 | 75,064 | 433,185 |
Huidong county | 6.91 | 24,279 | 351,310 |
Ningnan county | 21.85 | 37,134 | 169,962 |
Puge county | 76.55 | 106,521 | 139,156 |
Butuo county | 95.44 | 132,285 | 138,604 |
Jinyang county | 78.42 | 109,813 | 140,028 |
Zhaojue county | 96.75 | 200,951 | 207,712 |
Xide county | 85.74 | 118,048 | 137,676 |
Mianning county | 33.39 | 108,289 | 324,332 |
Yuexi county | 72.54 | 172,505 | 237,800 |
Ganluo county | 68.66 | 120,445 | 175,426 |
Meigu county | 97.81 | 172,356 | 176,214 |
Leibo county | 51.36 | 106,757 | 207,873 |
Guizhou province | 2.39 | 843,554 | 35,247,695 |
Baiyun district | 1.04 | 1,961 | 187,695 |
Qingzhen city | 1.65 | 7,761 | 471,305 |
Liupanshui city | 9.56 | 262,308 | 2,744,085 |
Zhongshan district | 5.64 | 25,549 | 453,293 |
Liuzhi special district | 11.32 | 61,319 | 541,762 |
Shuicheng county | 11.70 | 79,339 | 678,228 |
Pan county | 8.97 | 96,101 | 1,070,802 |
Qianxi'nan Bouyei Miao autonomous prefecture | 2.05 | 58,766 | 2,864,920 |
Xingyi city | 2.02 | 14,521 | 719,605 |
Xingren county | 2.44 | 10,372 | 425,091 |
Puan county | 2.66 | 6,905 | 259,881 |
Qinglong county | 6.76 | 17,436 | 258,031 |
Anlong county | 2.28 | 9,094 | 399,384 |
Bijie prefecture | 7.41 | 468,800 | 6,327,471 |
Bijie city | 4.26 | 48,094 | 1,128,230 |
Dafang county | 10.84 | 92,295 | 851,729 |
Qianxi county | 8.67 | 60,420 | 697,075 |
Jinsha county | 4.17 | 20,696 | 496,063 |
Zhijin county | 3.81 | 31,420 | 825,350 |
Nayong county | 5.72 | 37,840 | 661,772 |
Weining Yi Hui Miao autonomous county | 9.06 | 95,629 | 1,056,009 |
Hezhang county | 13.48 | 82,406 | 611,243 |
Yunnan province | 11.11 | 4,705,658 | 42,360,089 |
Kunming city | 6.65 | 384,531 | 5,781,294 |
Wuhua district | 2.56 | 10,580 | 413,420 |
Panlong district | 1.59 | 5,468 | 344,754 |
Guandu district | 3.38 | 47,311 | 1,398,305 |
Xishan district | 5.07 | 30,617 | 603,363 |
Dongchuan district | 3.26 | 8,984 | 275,564 |
Chenggong county | 1.22 | 2,202 | 180,685 |
Jinning county | 7.64 | 20,443 | 267,739 |
Fumin county | 7.44 | 10,422 | 140,046 |
Yiliang county | 6.06 | 24,051 | 396,677 |
Shilin Yi autonomous county | 32.49 | 72,779 | 223,978 |
Luquan Yi Miao autonomous county | 22.45 | 96,388 | 429,355 |
Xundian Hui Yi autonomous county | 8.91 | 42,934 | 481,721 |
Anning city | 3.34 | 9,872 | 295,173 |
Qujing city | 3.85 | 210,351 | 5,466,089 |
Qilin district | 2.16 | 14,041 | 648,956 |
Malong county | 3.41 | 6,326 | 185,766 |
Shizong county | 6.21 | 21,718 | 349,770 |
Luoping county | 6.44 | 33,159 | 515,211 |
Fuyuan county | 7.16 | 47,076 | 657,474 |
Huize county | 2.00 | 16,910 | 844,485 |
Zhanyi county | 2.16 | 8,406 | 389,838 |
Xuanwei city | 4.46 | 57,708 | 1,292,825 |
Yuxi city | 19.32 | 400,412 | 2,073,005 |
Hongta district | 9.02 | 36,905 | 409,044 |
Jiangchuan county | 5.48 | 14,087 | 257,078 |
Chengjiang county | 1.82 | 2,726 | 149,748 |
Tonghai county | 5.82 | 16,017 | 275,063 |
Huaning county | 21.29 | 41,844 | 196,519 |
Yimen county | 26.75 | 45,362 | 169,581 |
Eshan Yi autonomous county | 52.36 | 79,289 | 151,426 |
Xinping Yi Dai autonomous county | 46.20 | 122,259 | 264,615 |
Yuanjiang Hani Yi Dai autonomous county | 20.97 | 41,923 | 199,931 |
Zhaotong prefecture | 3.23 | 148,521 | 4,592,388 |
Zhaotong city | 2.58 | 18,758 | 727,959 |
Ludian county | 2.51 | 8,686 | 345,740 |
Qiaojia county | 2.86 | 13,183 | 461,034 |
Daguan county | 1.98 | 4,667 | 235,802 |
Yongshan county | 4.72 | 17,130 | 362,943 |
Zhenxiong county | 5.78 | 63,463 | 1,097,093 |
Yiliang county | 4.24 | 20,269 | 477,811 |
Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture | 26.31 | 668,937 | 2,542,530 |
Chuxiong city | 19.05 | 95,959 | 503,682 |
Shuangbai county | 43.10 | 66,110 | 153,403 |
Mouding county | 22.03 | 43,032 | 195,322 |
Nanhua county | 36.07 | 82,223 | 227,970 |
Yaoan county | 25.38 | 50,526 | 199,071 |
Dayao county | 29.52 | 82,620 | 279,838 |
Yongren county | 49.44 | 51,223 | 103,606 |
Yuanmou county | 24.25 | 49,179 | 202,779 |
Wuding county | 30.18 | 79,254 | 262,601 |
Lufeng county | 16.61 | 68,811 | 414,258 |
Honghe Hani Yi autonomous prefecture | 23.57 | 973,732 | 4,130,463 |
Gejiu city | 20.27 | 91,902 | 453,311 |
Kaiyuan city | 33.09 | 96,647 | 292,039 |
Mengzi county | 29.38 | 99,917 | 340,051 |
Pingbian Miao autonomous county | 18.51 | 27,596 | 149,088 |
Jianshui county | 29.02 | 149,071 | 513,712 |
Shiping county | 53.67 | 148,987 | 277,580 |
Mile county | 30.92 | 153,235 | 495,642 |
Luxi county | 7.99 | 29,202 | 365,585 |
Yuanyang county | 24.01 | 87,137 | 362,950 |
Honghe county | 14.23 | 38,086 | 267,627 |
Jinping Miao Yao Dai autonomous county | 11.97 | 37,837 | 316,171 |
Lüchun county | 4.92 | 9,894 | 201,256 |
Hekou Yao autonomous county | 4.42 | 4,221 | 95,451 |
Wenshan Zhuang Miao autonomous prefecture | 10.62 | 347,194 | 3,268,553 |
Wenshan county | 17.28 | 74,255 | 429,639 |
Yanshan county | 21.11 | 92,356 | 437,508 |
Xichou county | 3.95 | 9,332 | 236,120 |
Malipo county | 2.25 | 6,036 | 267,986 |
Maguan county | 9.16 | 32,056 | 350,002 |
Qiubei county | 18.05 | 78,327 | 434,009 |
Guangnan county | 5.84 | 42,675 | 730,376 |
Funing county | 3.17 | 12,157 | 382,913 |
Pu'er city | 16.58 | 411,120 | 2,480,346 |
Simao district | 15.12 | 34,904 | 230,834 |
Ning'er Hani Yi autonomous county | 19.45 | 36,589 | 188,106 |
Mojiang Hani autonomous county | 9.23 | 32,812 | 355,364 |
Jingdong Yi autonomous county | 39.92 | 140,556 | 352,089 |
Jinggu Dai Yi autonomous county | 20.59 | 59,476 | 288,794 |
Zhenyuan Yi Hani Lahu autonomous county | 27.28 | 56,119 | 205,709 |
Jiangcheng Hani Yi autonomous county | 13.47 | 13,503 | 100,243 |
Menglian Dai Lahu Va autonomous county | 2.40 | 4,999 | 208,593 |
Lancang Lahu autonomous county | 6.74 | 31,255 | 464,016 |
Ximeng Va autonomous county | 1.05 | 907 | 86,598 |
Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture | 5.61 | 55,772 | 993,397 |
Jinghong city | 5.56 | 24,673 | 443,672 |
Menghai county | 2.28 | 7,175 | 314,068 |
Mengla county | 10.15 | 23,924 | 235,657 |
Dali Bai autonomous prefecture | 12.94 | 426,634 | 3,296,552 |
Dali city | 2.95 | 15,385 | 521,169 |
Yangbi Yi autonomous county | 46.09 | 48,565 | 105,380 |
Xiangyun county | 7.26 | 31,733 | 437,371 |
Binchuan county | 6.27 | 20,332 | 324,412 |
Midu county | 8.35 | 24,791 | 296,860 |
Nanjian Yi autonomous county | 47.24 | 99,159 | 209,887 |
Weishan Yi Hui autonomous county | 34.07 | 100,879 | 296,124 |
Yongping county | 26.56 | 47,391 | 178,438 |
Yunlong county | 5.45 | 10,739 | 196,978 |
Eryuan county | 3.00 | 9,443 | 315,003 |
Jianchuan county | 2.88 | 4,771 | 165,900 |
Heqing county | 5.40 | 13,446 | 249,030 |
Baoshan prefecture | 3.23 | 75,877 | 2,348,315 |
Baoshan city | 4.61 | 39,025 | 846,865 |
Shidian county | 3.62 | 11,360 | 314,187 |
Longling county | 1.83 | 4,758 | 260,097 |
Changning county | 6.04 | 20,123 | 333,241 |
Lijiang prefecture | 18.68 | 210,431 | 1,126,646 |
Lijiang Naxi autonomous county | 2.42 | 8,871 | 366,705 |
Yongsheng county | 12.43 | 46,703 | 375,769 |
Huaping county | 8.26 | 12,808 | 154,968 |
Ninglang Yi autonomous county | 61.97 | 142,049 | 229,204 |
Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture | 1.99 | 9,805 | 491,824 |
Lushui county | 2.28 | 3,915 | 171,974 |
Lanping Bai Pumi autonomous county | 2.91 | 5,727 | 196,977 |
Diqing Tibetan autonomous prefecture | 3.29 | 11,616 | 353,518 |
Zhongdian county | 6.50 | 9,586 | 147,416 |
Weixi Lisu autonomous county | 1.38 | 2,016 | 146,017 |
Lincang prefecture | 15.77 | 367,880 | 2,332,570 |
Lincang county | 5.43 | 15,478 | 285,163 |
Fengqing county | 27.61 | 117,883 | 426,943 |
Yun county | 37.96 | 158,099 | 416,507 |
Yongde county | 8.68 | 29,521 | 339,918 |
Zhenkang county | 17.19 | 31,334 | 182,258 |
Shuangjiang Lahu Va Blang Dai autonomous county | 1.57 | 2,605 | 165,982 |
Gengma Dai Va autonomous county | 3.57 | 11,193 | 313,220 |
Longlin autonomous county (Guangxi) | 1.03 | 3,563 | 347,462 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture of northwestern Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. between longitudes 98°52′ to 101°03′ east and latitudes 24°41′ to 26°42′ north, it has a subtropical plateau monsoon climate with distinct dry and wet seasons. Most areas do not experience extreme heat in summer or severe cold in winter, covering a total area of 29,459 square kilometers. By the end of 2023, the permanent population of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture was 3.342 million people. As of March 2023, the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture governed one county-level city and 11 counties, with 110 townships, and the People's Government of the Autonomous Prefecture is based in Xiaguan, Dali City.
Xiangyun County is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in the west-central part of Yunnan province, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.