The Yi are a group of people.
They live in high mountains. Many live in China. Some live in Vietnam too. They have many ways to talk. It is a big and special group.
Do you like mountains?
The Yi are a large group of people.
Most live in high mountains. They live in parts of China. Some live in Vietnam too.
They have many ways to talk. These ways are like a family of languages. They even have their own way to write.
The weather changes fast in the mountains. It can be different just a few miles away. This is because the mountains are so steep.
Many Yi groups have different names. Some call themselves Nisu or Sani. They all belong to one big group.
It is a very special group of people.
The Yi are a large group of people in China.
There are nine million Yi people. Most live in high, steep mountains.
Because the mountains are so steep, the weather changes fast. It can be different just a few miles away.
The Yi have many different groups. These groups have many names, like Nisu or Sani. They also speak many different languages. These languages are all related to Burmese. The Yi even have their own way to write.
Long ago, Yi legends said all life came from water. They believe a creature called the Ni made life. The Ni is another name for the Yi. Many Yi groups lived in old kingdoms. One was the Nanzhao kingdom. In that time, some Yi were warriors.
Later, the Yuan dynasty ruled over the Yi. The Yi kept many of their own ways during that time. Even when new leaders came, the Yi stayed strong in their mountain homes.
The Yi are a large ethnic group living in southern China.
There are about nine million Yi people in total. This makes them the sixth largest minority group in China. Most Yi live in rural, mountainous areas. They live in provinces like Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi.
Some live in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. This area is home to two million Yi people. A smaller group of about 4,827 Lô Lô people live in northern Vietnam.
The Yi live in very different ways depending on where they are. This is because they live on steep mountain slopes. The height of the mountains changes the weather and rain. There is an old saying that the weather is different just a few miles away. The Yi speak many Loloish languages. These languages are related to Burmese. One important version is called Nuosu. This variety uses the Yi script for writing.
Yi legends tell a beautiful story about how life began. They believe all life started in water. This water came from melting snow. The melting snow created a creature called the Ni. The Ni gave birth to all living things. The name Ni is another name for the Yi people. Some people think the name means black. Black is a very important color in Yi culture.
History shows that the Yi have lived in many kingdoms. In the 700s, a leader named Piluoge helped start the Nanzhao kingdom.
This kingdom was located in the Erhai valley. During this time, the Yi served as warriors. Later, the Yuan dynasty ruled the area. They created a special government called Luoluo Xuanweisi. This was a way to rule the Yi people locally. Even under new rulers, the Yi kept much of their own culture.
Today, the Yi remain a strong and diverse group. They have many subgroups with different names. Some call themselves Nisu, Sani, or Axi. These groups are grouped together as one ethnicity by the Chinese government.
Their history is full of different clans and leaders. From the ancient Ziqi Kingdom to the era of the Ming dynasty, the Yi have shaped the mountains. They continue to live in the high places they have always known.
The Yi people are a large ethnic group living primarily in southern China. They are the sixth largest of the 55 recognized ethnic minority groups in the country. There are approximately nine million Yi people in total.
Most live in rural, mountainous regions of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi. The Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture is a major center, housing two million Yi people. A smaller subgroup called the Lô Lô lives in northern Vietnam.
Geography plays a massive role in how the Yi live. They often inhabit steep mountain slopes far from urban centers. Because of the high altitudes, the climate and precipitation change rapidly. This leads to a local saying that the weather is different just a few miles away. These environmental differences mean that Yi populations in different areas live in very different ways.
The Yi speak various Loloish languages, which are closely related to Burmese. The prestige variety is known as Nuosu. This variety is written using the Yi script.
While many groups use different names, such as Nisu, Sani, or Axi, the Chinese government classifies them as one ethnicity. Some names, like Lolo, are connected to the word for "tiger" in certain dialects. Historically, the Chinese name for these groups used a "dog radical" in writing, which was considered a pejorative or offensive term. Over time, language reforms changed how these names were written to be more respectful.
Yi legends offer a unique view of their origins. According to myth, all life began in water created by melting snow. This process created a creature called the Ni, which gave birth to all life. The Ni is another name for the Yi people. Some scholars suggest the name means "black," a color that is highly revered in Yi culture.
Tradition also tells of a common ancestor named Apu Dumu. He had six sons who migrated in different directions to form the various clans. A lineage system meant younger brothers often left to start their own domains.
History shows the Yi were part of several significant kingdoms. In the 3rd century AD, the Mo clan split into branches that formed kingdoms like Ziqi. By the Tang dynasty, the Chele branch occupied areas in Sichuan and Guizhou.
In Yunnan, the Black Mywa tribes are considered predecessors of the Yi people. In 737 AD, a leader named Piluoge united several tribes to establish the Nanzhao kingdom.
The Nanzhao capital was at Taihe, located in the Erhai valley. During this era, the Black Mywa often served as warriors.
The Nanzhao kingdom lasted for 165 years until 902 AD. It was eventually succeeded by the Kingdom of Dali. The Dali kingdom ruled for 316 years before being conquered by Kublai Khan. Under the Yuan dynasty, the government established the Luoluo Xuanweisi. This was a local government designed to manage the Yi people.
Despite this imperial control, the Yi people maintained a high degree of autonomy during this period.
As the Ming and Qing dynasties progressed, the Chinese empire began a policy of cultural assimilation. This involved replacing local chieftains, known as tusi, with central officials. This shift changed how local power was managed in southwestern China. Throughout these centuries of change, the Yi maintained distinct cultural identities. Their history is a complex map of migrations, clan splits, and shifting political borders.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (14)
+ 2 more
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.