Nationalities of China The Achang The 20,400 Achang people live mainly in the Zhedao and Dachang communes in Lianghe county and the Husa commune in Longchuan county in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province. The Achangs are good rice growers, raising many varieties of fine quality. Their Husa swords are known far and wide and are popular with China's other nationalities. They are sold to Burma and other countries. The Bai The Bai nationality has a relatively developed culture and long history. With a population of 1.13 million and live mainly on the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau. Eighty percent of them live in compact communities in the Dali Bai autonomous prefecture, the rest are scattered in Sichuan's Xichang and Guizhou's Bijie counties. With dense forests and fertile land, most of them are farmers. The Bao'an With a population of 9,000, the Bao'an nationality is one of the smallest in China and lives along the Huanghe River east of the Jishi Mountains in Gansu province. The mild climate and fertile land there are good for agriculture and animal husbandry. The Bouyei The Bouyei nationality has a population of 2.12 million, living mainly in the Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture in south Guizhou and the Bouyei and Miao autonomous counties in the province's Anshun prefecture. The rest are in the Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in southeastern Guizhou and around Guiyang. As their homes are on the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau, their villages are often beside a river or at the foot of the mountains in beautiful surroundings. Power resources are abundant here. The world-famous Huangguoshu waterfall is located in Bouyei area. The Bulang The Bulang nationality with 58,000 people lives mainly on Bulang Mountain, and Xiding and Bada in Menghai county in southwestern Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province. A few are scattered in Shuangjiang, Zhenkang, Yunxian and Gengma of Lincang prefecture, and Lacang, Jingdong, Jinggu, Mojiang and Pu'er of Simao prefecture. Bulang homes are generally in hilly lands. Farming is the Bulang's main occupation. The nationality also grows tea, cotton, and other crops. The Dai The Dai people live mainly in the Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture; the Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture; the Gengma Dai and Va autonomous county; and the Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va autonomous county in southern, western and southwestern Yunnan province. The rest are distributed along the Lancang and Honghe river valleys. The Daur The Daur people live along the Nenjiang River in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Heilongjiang province, and in Xinjiang's Tacheng area. The Morin Dawa Daur autonomous banner (equivalent to a county) on the west bank of the Nenjiang has 94,000 Daurs, the most concentrated area. The De'eng The De'eng nationality has a population of 12,200, living in their own communities in the Santaishan people's commune in Luxi county in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture and the Junlong people's commune in Zhenkang county, Lincang prefecture in Yunnan province. A small number are scattered in Ruili, Lianghe, Longchuan, Baoshan, Gengma and Lancang counties. De'eng villages are in mountain or hill areas, often among Jingpo, Han, Lisu and Va nationalities. A few live with the Dai nationality. The De'engs dwell in sub-tropical areas with fine natural conditions. Their mountains produce the famous Longzhu bamboo, which the people have been cultivating for 20 centuries. The plant has become a must in De'eng life. The Dong The 1.42 million Dong people live mainly in compact communities in Liping, Rongjiang, Chongjiang, Jinpin, Tianzhu, Zhenyuan and Jianhe counties in Guizhou; Xinhuang, Tongdao, Shuining and Chengbu counties in Hunan; and Sanjiang and Longsheng counties in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Dong people like to build their villages in mountain valleys. Their homes are usually surrounded with forests of Chinese fir. Farming is their main occupation. Sited in a green forest, the Drum Temple and Wind and Rain Bridge in their area are typical of Dong architecture and fine representatives of the wisdom of their builders. The Dongxiang The Dongxiang nationality, named after its home place, mainly lives in the Hui autonomous prefecture in Gansu province, a mountainous area west to the Chaohe River, east to the Daxia River and south to the Huanghe (Yellow) River. It has a population of 279,000 and resembles the Hui people in northwestern China in their customs and religion. The Dulong The Dulong people live in the Dulong valley in the Gongshan Dulong and Nu autonomous county in northwestern Yunnan province. Having a population only 4,600, they are one of China's smallest nationalities. Dulong society remained in patriarchal clan communes until 1949. They were slash-and-burn farmers, collected wild fruit and fished. To keep records or pass information they tied knots or made notches on wood. The Ewenki The Ewenkis, with a small population of 19,000, are scattered along China's northeast border, mainly in seven banners in eastern Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang's Nehe county. Most live together with Mongolians, Daurs, Hans and Oroqens. A proverb among them says, "One can be sure a man is an Ewenki if he has a roe deer skin cap on his head and bows and arrows in his hand" - for hunting was the main means of living for their ancestors. Later, they also took up stock raising and farming. They not only herd sheep and cattle but raise deer. The Gaoshan There are 1,500 Gaoshans on the mainland living in coastal Fujian province, with some scattered in Shanghai, Beijing and Wuhan. The Gaoshan is comprised of many branches - the Amei, Paiwan, Taiya, Saixia, Bunong, Cao, Yamei, Lukai, Binan and Pingpu. Most of them are farmers, hunters or fishermen. The Gelao The Gelao nationality has a population of 53,000. They live together with other nationalities in 20 counties in western Guizhou province such as Zhijin, Qianxi, Liuzhi, Guangling, Puding, Dafang, Qingzhen, Renhuai, Shuicheng, Anshun, Zunyi and Pingba. Scattered living is a characteristic of the Gelao people. According to historical records, the Gelaos were the Liao tribes of ancient times. Even half a century ago they still maintained the characteristics and living habits of the Liaos. Gelao women used to wear short jackets reaching only their waists and close-fitting skirts. In some places the Gelao people had a custom of "beating teeth", which was similar to the Liao's practice of drilling holes in their teeth. Now the Gelaos live almost the same as the Hans in their localities. The Han The Han race is the most among the 56 nationalities in China. In ancient times, the Han distributed in the Yellow River basin, the Yangtze River basin, the Pearl River basin as well as the songliao Plains. It was the period after the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 A.D.)that the appellation of Han appeared in the world and continue to use to this day. The Hani All the 1,058,000 Hanis live in Yunnan province, concentrated mainly in the vast mountain areas between the Honghe and Lancang rivers in the south. The most compact communities are in Yuanjiang, Mojiang, Honghe and Luchun counties in the Ailao Mountains. The rest are distributed in Lancang county in the Wuliang Mountains and Xishuangbanna prefecture. The Hanis, with over 20 branches, called themselves by many names. Those calling themselves "Hanis" live along the southern bank of the Honghe River, and those calling themselves "Ainis" live in Xishuangbanna prefecture and Lancang county. The rest are in Mojiang county. The Jing The population of the Jings is 11,000. Most of them inhabit the three small islands of Wanwei, Wutou and Shanxin belonging to the Fangcheng multi-nationalities autonomous county in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Some live mingled with Han and Zhuang people in the towns of Tanji, Hongkan, Hengwang and Jiangping in the Jiangping commune, Zhushan in the Dongxing commune and in Qinxian county. In short, they live around the Beibu Gulf, an excellent fishing area along the South China Sea. Thus, most Jings are fishermen, though some farm and grow sub-tropital fruit. The Jingpo Most of the Jingpo people live in compact communities in Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture in Yunnan, a few in Pianbai, Gulang and Gangfang of the Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture, and Gengma and Lancang counties. Their population is 93,000. For a long time in the past they kept records by tying knots, making carvings on wood blocks, and putting beans aside. They farm, raise livestock and collect wild fruit. The Jinuo The 11,000 Jinuo people live mainly in Jinuoluoke commune in Jinghong county in Yunnan province. Their villages are in mountains covered with thick virgin forests. They are farmers. In slack season the men go hunting while the women collect wild fruit, or spin and weave at home. The Kazak With a population of 907,000, Kazak nationality is distributed mainly over Xinjiang's Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, Mori and Barkol Kazak autonomous counties. They are herding people, moving with the seasons to new pastures. When winter comes, they settle down in flat roofed adobe houses. The Kergez With a population of 113,000, The Kergez live mainly in the Kizilsu Kergez autonomous prefecture in southwestern Xinjiang. The rest are spread over some neighboring counties and in the Tekes and Zhaosu areas of northern Xinjiang. A very small number live in Fuyu county in Heilongjiang province. The Korean The Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture in southeast Jilin province has beautiful scenery and a pleasant climate. This is where China's 1.76 million Korean nationality people live in compact communities. They are good singers and dancers. Veterans in their 60s are often found among the dancers at festivals. The Lahu With a population of 304,000, Lahu people live in the mountainous areas of Simao and Lincang along the Lancang River in Yunnan province. The most compact communities are in the Lancang Lahu autonomous county, the Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va autonomous county, the Gengma Dai and Va autonomous county and Shuangjiang county in southwestern Yunnan. The Li In the center of beautiful Hainan Island in the South China Sea there live the industrious Li people. Here they have intermingled for centuries with the Han and Hui peoples. The Lis have a population of 817,000. Located in the sub-tropical zone, the island provides the pleasant weather the Lis are used to and a favorable environment for them all the year round. Towering coconut trees swaying in the breeze, dense rubber groves on the mountain slopes, and the echo of folk songs the Li people hum when they work are poetic. The Lisu The Lisu nationality has a population of 480,000. Most of them live in Beijiang, Fugong, Hushui and Lanping counties in Yunnan's Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture. The rest are scattered over the areas of Lijiang, Baoshan, Qingxian, Dehong, Dali and Chuxiong in Yunnan and the Xichang region in Sichuan province. They are in small communities and coexist with the local Han, Bai, Yi and Naxi nationalities. In addition they also can be found in Laos and Northern Thailand. The Luoba With a population of 2,000, the Luoba nationality lives in the Lhoyu area in Zayu and Moinyu counties in the southeastern part of Tibet. The Yarlong Zangbo and Danba rivers water this beautiful and richly endowed land. In the high mountains there are valleys of spring where crops grow all year round. The people are farmers and hunters. The Manchu The 4.29 million Manchu people live mainly in Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in northeast China. Before the 17th century when the Manchus lived in the border areas of northeast China, they hunted and collected. Both men and women were good horseback riders and archers, and were trained in these from childhood. The girls shaved their heads as did the boys, wearing only a small pigtail coiled behind the head. The Maonan The Maonans have a population of 38,000. They live in Huanjiang, Hechi, Nandan and Du'an counties in the northern part of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The Xia'nan commune in Huanjiang county is designated as home of the Maonans since over 70 percent of its population are Maonans. Located in the sub-tropical zone, their compact communities lie in beautiful surroundings in a climate best suited to grain crops. They are mainly farmers, but they are well-known for their woven bamboo articles. Their bamboo hats in nice patterns are considered their special handicrafts. The Menba With a population of 6,200, the Menbas live in Medog, Nyingchi and Cona counties and are scattered over the Menyu area in the south of Cona county in Tibet. On flat lands of the mountain area in Cona county's Lepu are pastures with plenty of water and lush grass for livestock breeding. Most of the Menbas herd or farm. The Menba and Tibetan peoples intermingle and intermarry. They have close political, economic, cultural and religious ties. The Miao The Miaos, with a population of 5.3 million, are one of the bigger minority nationalities in China's southwestern parts. They are widely scattered, but more than half of them live in compact communities in the Miso and Dong autonomous prefecture in southeast Guizhou province, and the Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefectures in its south and southwest. The rest are in the Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture and Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province, the Chengbu Miao autonomous county in Hunan province, and many other places in Guangxi, Sichuan, the Hainan Island in Guangdong, and the southwestern part of Hubei province. Though the Miaos live among Han, Zhuang, Yao, Yi, Hani and other nationalities, they have preserved their small communities. Often twenty or thirty families of the same clan form a village. Most of the Miao villages are built on top or half way up a mountain, a few in valleys or on plains. The Mongolian On the vast grasslands of northern Inner Mongolia are the vigorous Mongolian nationality people with a wealth of cultural tradition. The Mongolians live in compact communities mainly in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Some are distributed in Xinjiang, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Gansu and Qinghai. There are also some scattered in Sichuan, Ningxia, Yunnan and Beijing. The population totals 3.41 million. The Mulao The 90,000 Mulaos live in compact communities in mountain or hill areas in Luocheng county and its neigh boring counties - Yishan, Liucheng, Du'an and Yicheng in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. They grow rice, corn, soybeans and some cash-crops. The Naxi The 245,000 Naxis mainly live in the Lijiang Naxi autonomous county in Yunnan province, but also in Yunnan's Weixi, Zhongdian, Ninglang, Deqin, Yongsheng, Heqing, Jianchuan and Lanping counties, and Sichuan's Yanyuan, Yanbian and Muli counties. The Naxi people are mainly farmers. With an imbalance social development, the vestiges of a matriarchal society remained among those in Yunnan's Yongning county and Sichuan's Yanyuan county until 1949. There, women have dominant roles and are supposed to be the heirs to property. They are very active and important in work and social activities. The Nu The 23,000 Nu people live mainly in Gongshan, Bijiang and Fugong counties in the Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture and the Tu'e people's commune in Lanping county, Yunnan province. The rest are in Weixi county of the Diqing Tibetan autonomous prefecture. The Nu people's areas are full of mountains and rivers. The Lancang, Nujiang and Dulong rivers run through their regions north to south. The magnificent Nujiang Gorge is in their country. The Oroqen The Oroqens are hunters living in the primeval forests of the Greater and Lesser Hinggan ranges in the northeast. Their small 4,000 population is mainly distributed in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang. They also fish, collect wild foods and make handicraft articles of fur and birch bark. The Pumi The Pumi nationality with a population of 24,000 lives mainly in Lanping, Nijiang, Weixi and Yongsheng counties, and the Ninglang Yi autonomous county in Yunnan, and the rest in the Muli Tibetan autonomous county and Yanyuan county in Sichuan. At the foot of the jade-like Yulong Mountains, and by the side of the Jinsha River and Lugu Lake they live together with Naxi, Bai, Lisu and Yi people. The different nationalities have been friendly and helped each other in their common struggles. The Pumis used to be nomads on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, but now have shifted from horse and yak breeding to mainly farming. The Qiang The Qiang nationality has a long history. There are records of the Qiangs in inscriptions on tortoise shells 3,000 years ago. The word "Qiang" indicates herdsmen who grazed sheep in western China. Almost all the 102,700 Qiangs live in the Maowen Qiang autonomous county in Sichuan's Aba Tibetan autonomous prefecture. The rest live in Wenchuan, Lixian, Songpan counties. Most of them raise livestock and farm. The Russian Originally from Tsarist Russia, the Russian nationality of 2,900 live in Yili, Tacheng, Altay and Urumqi of Xinjiang in the north west. A small number is scattered in the Hulun Buir League and Xunke and Huma counties in Heilongjiang province in the northeast. The Salar Living in the Xunhua Salar nationality autonomous prefecture in southeastern Qinghai province, the salar nationality has a population of 69,000. The mild climate and fertile land along the Huanghe River provide them with a good natural environment. They are mainly engaged in agriculture and some of them do animal husbandry, lumbering and wool weaving. The She The She nationality has a long history and a fine cultural heritage. As early as the 7th century before the Tang dynasty, their forefathers lived on the border area of Guangdong, Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. Today they inhabit mainly Ningde prefecture in Fujian province; Wenzhou, Lishui and Jinhua prefectures in Zhejiang province; Qianshan and Guixi counties in eastern Jiangxi province; and Xingguo county in the province's southern corner. Some are in the counties of Chaozhou, Haifeng, Dapu, zengcheng. Huiyang and Poluo in Guangdong province, and Ningguo county in Anhui province. The Shui The home of the Shui nationality lies south of the beautiful Miaoling Range along the Duliu and Longjiang rivers. With a population of 286,000, they live mainly in Sandu Shui autonomous county in the Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture in south Guizhou, and in Libo, Dushan, Duyun, Rongjiang, Liping and Gaili in the Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in southeastern Guizhou. A few live in northwestern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. In all these places they live together with Han, Miao, Bouyei, Dong and Yao nationalities. Farming is their main occupation. The Tajik Located on the "roof of the world," the Tajik autonomous county in Xinjiang's Taxkorgan is the home of 60 percent of the 26,000 Tajiks. Glaciers, mountains, valleys and pastures provide them with a fine natural environment for agriculture and animal husbandry. The rest of the population is distributed over the Shache, Zepu and Yecheng areas. The Tartar The Tartars number only 4,000, but are generally more developed in culture. They are mainly distributed in Yining, Tacheng and Urumqi in Xinjiang, and a few in farming and herding areas in the south part of the region. The Tibetan The Tibetans have a long history. With a population of 3.87 million, They live on the vast Tibet-Qinghai plateau in the southwest with plenty of water, pasture land and great resources. Most of them are in animal husbandry. Tibetan communities are also found in southern Gansu, western Sichuan and central Yunnan provinces. The Tu An ancient nationality in northwest China, the 159,000 Tu people spread over the areas east of Qinghai Lake, on the south range of the Qilian Mountains and on the banks of the Huangshui and Datong rivers. The most compact Tu communities are in the Huzhu Tu autonomous county in Qinghai province and in the neighboring Datong and Minhe counties. They also live sparsely in Qinghai's Ledu and Menyuan counties and Gansu's Tianzhu Tibetan autonomous county. The Tujia The beautiful and richly endowed Hunan and Hubei provinces are the homes of the 2.83 million Tujia people. They live mainly in Yongshun, Longshan, Baojing and Guzhang counties in the Tujia-Miao autonomous prefecture in the western Hunan. Some are scattered in Laifeng, Lichuan, Hefeng, Xianfeng and Xuansi counties in Hubei province. The Uygur Surrounded by several big mountain ranges, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is the largest of all the provinces and autonomous regions in China. The great Tianshan Mountains divide it into two parts, each having a different natural environment. In southern Xinjiang the big Tarim Basin is irrigated by the world's longest inland river, the Tarim, and others. In the north vast fields and pastures are scattered with lakes. The 5.95 million Uygur people live mainly in the southern part though some are found in the north. The Uzbek With a population of 12,400, the Uzbeks are distributed all over the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, especially in the areas of Yining, Tacheng, Kashi, Urumqi, Shache and Yecheng. Most of them are in commerce and live in towns and cities. Co-existing with the Uygur and Kazak nationalities, they have similar customs and life styles. The Va Most of the 290,000 Va people live in the Ximeng, Cangyuan, Menglian, Gengma, Lancang, Shuangjiang, Zhenkang and Yongde counties in Yunnan province. The rest are distributed over Yunnan's Xishuangbanna and Dehong Dai nationality autonomous prefectures, coexisting with the Han, Yi, Dai, Hani and Lahu nationalities. The fertile land and sub-tropical climate in the Awa Mountains provide the Va people with large forests of cane, bamboo and others. They mainly farm, hunt and gather. The Xibe There are 83,000 Xibes. Most of them live in the fertile areas along the Ili River in northwestern Xinjiang, especially in the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture's Qapqal Xibe autonomous county and Huocheng and Gongliu counties along the Ili River. They moved here 200 years ago. The rest are scattered over such areas as Shenyang, Kaiyuan and Yixian in northeastern China. Against different natural and historical backgrounds, the Xibe people in the northeast and the northwest have developed different life styles. Those in the northeast have become more and more similar to the local Han and Manchu in their language, costumes, food and life styles. But those living in compact communities in Xinjiang have kept more of their own customs. The Yao With a population of 1,402,000, the Yaos inhabit 130 counties in Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi and Yunnan provinces, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The majority live in Guangxi, the minority in Jiangxi. In large areas they are scattered, while in small areas in the mountains they tend to live in compact communities. The Yao nationality has many branches. According to legends and costumes and different modes of production, they call themselves Hongtou (Red Head ) Yao, Lanjing Yao, Jiantou (Pointed Head) Yao, Dingban Yao, Chashan (Tea Mountain) Yao, and Ao Yao. The Yi With the largest population of the nationalities in the south, the Yis have a long history. Research shows that during the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 24) they lived in what was then the southwest border of China - Yunnan in today's south - together with other people. Most of them live in Sichuan's Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Yunnan's Chuxiong Yi autonomous and Honghe Hani-Yi autonomous prefectures, the Ailao and Xiao Liang mountain areas, and Guizhou's Anshun and Bijie counties, Guangxi's Longlin multinational autonomous county and Mubian county. They farm, while animal husbandry is their sideline. The Yugur The Yugur people, an ancient nationality with a population of 10,500, live in Sunan Yugur autonomous county on the north range of the Qilian Mountains in Gansu province. Some are in the Jiuquan and Huangnipu areas. The Zhuang The Zhuang, with 13.27 million people, are the largest minority nationality in China. They live mainly in the Nanning. Baise, Hechi and Liuzhou areas of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Some are scattered in the Wenshan Zhuang-Miao autonomous county in Yunnan province, the Lianshan Zhuang-Yao autonomous county in Guangdong province, Congjiang county in Guizhou province and the Jianghua Yao autonomous county in Hunan province. They are mostly farmers. These areas have some famous scenic spots and historical sites such as Guangxi's Guilin well-known for its beautiful mountains and waters. 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