Description: Yi nationality (彝族), the six largest ethnic minority in China, mainly gathers in the southwest of China such as Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. According to the census of 2010, Yi nationality takes up a population of 8,714,393.
Language: Yi language belongs to Tibeto-Burman branch under the Sino-Tibetan family.
Religion: Yi nationality’s region has dense original color, worshipping nature and ancestor principally.
Clothing Character: Yi clothing embodies the traditional culture and aesthetic consciousness of Yi nationality. It is various according to different regions. In Liangshan and Qianxi, men usually wear black coat with slant opening and narrow lapels.
Women remain the national characteristics. They are dressed with corset, waistband and wrap turban as usual. When going out, both men and women prefer wearing jewelry such as earring, bracelet and rings that are made of golden, silver and jade.
Food Culture: They take three meals a day with rice and coarse cereals as staple food. Papa made of buckwheat flour is viewed as the local specialty. Buckwheat has the function to help digestion, stop sweat and diminish inflammation. Pork, mutton and beef are principal meat. In their daily life, wine and tea are the daily drink. Yi nationality abound in mushroom, agaric and walnut.
Festivals: The torch festival (火把节) is the ancient and traditional festivals of Yi nationality. It is usually held on the 24th, June. When the night is approaching, people wave torches and walk around the village. All places are shined as daytime. Finally, people get the torch in the hand together to form piles of campfire. They sing and dance heartily around the campfire. The torch festival of Yi nationality is named as “the oriental night”.
Kusi (库斯)is the new year of Yi people. Ancestor worship is the main content. After the morning, the whole village begins to kill pig in turn on the base of age. Primarily, boil qiaopa with kidney, liver, tongue and pancreas of pig to worship the ancestors. Then the whole family members din together. Finally, men cut pork into pieces, women make sausage with them.
Arts: Da Ge (打歌) is the folk dance and song prevailing in Yi nationality. It is accompanied with cucurbit flute, flute and sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument). It is often played on wedding. In 1986, it was listed as one of the most popular global folk dance by the United States International Organization of Folk Art.
Add On: Hmong Nationality
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