Geography and Language of Bai (白族)
Calling themselves ‘Baizi’, ‘Baini’ or ‘Baihuo,’ the Bai people hold the colour white in very high esteem (‘bai’ means ‘white’). Since 1956, they have been officially known as the Bai people, having given their full support to this.
The language the Bai speak is closely related to Chinese due to their long-term contact with the Han ethnic group, and it is also related to the Yi branch of the Tibetan-Burmese group of languages.
-
Population: 1,858,063
- Distribution: Yunnan and Guizhou
- Language: Bai
- Religion: Buddhism
History of Bai (白族)
The Erhai area was inhabited from the Neolithic age, evidence suggesting that bronze knives and swords, among other things, were in use here as early as 2,000 years ago.
A large number of Han Chinese moved into this area in 109 BC and brought with them advanced tools and techniques.
With the end of the Nanzhou regime in 902 AD, the feudal kingdom of Dali was established in its place, which saw the abolition of heavy taxes, allowing social productivity to increase. The Dali kingdom was a branch of the Song dynasty court, exchanging war horses, medicines and crafts for Han-language books, science and technology. This beneficial exchange contributed to the economic development of the area.
In the thirteenth century, this kingdom was conquered by Genghis Khan and the Mongols, establishing the Yuan dynasty, which lasted until 1368, when the Ming dynasty took power.
Culture of Bai (白族)
Bai culture has spawned great works of literature and the Bai people are known for being good at singing and dancing. Chuichui, or Bai opera, combines folk music with dancing and has some of the characteristics of Han opera, which it has absorbed over time.
Traditions of Bai (白族)
The Bai people have mainly always been monogamous, with only a few practising polygamy. Marriage between cousins was encouraged until 1949, marriages were arranged by parents and women could not inherit. Nowadays, people are free to choose who they want to marry.
Climate of Bai (白族)
The area they live in is a beautiful landscape of vast tracts of land and dense forests, ensuring an abundance of fruit and crops. The Lake Erhai area has a mild climate and its land is fertile; winter wheat, rice, cotton and sugar cane are among the main crops grown here. The area’s forests are rich with medicinal herbs, rare animals and timber. Yunnan marble, of which there is plenty in this area, is valuable as building material and is also used for carving.
Modern Times of Bai (白族)
In 1956, the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture was founded, after socialist transformation and democratic reform.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|