Chinese Ethnic Groups

Yao Minority

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Yao Minority

Yao Nationality has a long history and splendid culture. Boasting over 2,134,000 people, Yao Nationality is a ethnic group who is industrious, brave, and good at singing and dancing. Yao people of several generations have lived in the mountainous areas of many regions in South China, such as Gaungxi, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Hainan. There are abundant precipitation, rich forest resources, minerals, and wild animals, etc. For instance, Yaoshan Mountain in Jianghua is reputed as "Green Treasury" and is well known as the largest natural vegetable kingdom in Guangxi Province; Grand Yaoshao Mountain in Jinxiu is honored "Village of Fir", etc.

Yao People have their own language, a branch of Yao language family in Sino-Tibetan system. However, it is not shared by all Yao people. Half of the population speaks Mian language belonging to Miao-Yao language family, and two fifths speak Bunu language as a b ranch of Miao language. Some in Guangxi speak Lajia language which comes from Zhuang-Dong language family. In fact, most people speak Chinese and Zhuang language. They do not have written language and therefore have acquired the use of Chinese characters. Their spoken language cultivated rich oral literature.

Yao Nationality has about 63 abbreviations, such as Mian, Men, and Min, and 390 bynames, including Panyao, Landianyao, and Hongtouyao, etc. After the founding of People’s Republic of China, it is generally called Yao Nationality.

Due to the limitation of geographical locations, most Yao people retain their old living habits of hunting, fishing, and farming, entertainment forms of singing and dancing, exquisite Yao style clothing, moving legends, unique customs of marriage, and religious belief.

 

You may be interested in the following pages:
Bai Nationality | Naxi Nationality | Dai Nationality | Miao Nationality | Dong Nationality | Zhuang Nationality | Yao Nationality | Uygur Nationality | Hui Nationality | Tibetan Nationality

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