Bai Ethnic Group

Bai Ethnic Group Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

The Bais speak a language related to the Yi branch of the Tibetan-Myanmese roup of the Chinese-Tibetan language family. The language contains a large number of Chinese words due to the Bais' long contact with the majority Chinese ethnic group--Han.

Origins and History

Stone age

Archaeological finds from Canger and Haimenkou show that the Erhai area was inhabited as early as the Neolithic Age, and artifacts of that period indicate that the people of the region used stone tools, engaged in farming, livestock rearing, fishing and hunting, and dwelt in caves. Possibly, they began to use bronze knives and swords and other metal tools about 2,000 years ago.

Han, Sui and Tang

The people in the Erhai area developed closer ties with the Han majority in inland provinces in the Qin (221 - 207 B.C.) and Han (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) dynasties. In 109 B.C. the Western Han Dynasty set up county administrations and moved a large number of Han people to this border area. These people brought more advanced production techniques and iron tools, contributing to the economic development of the area. During the Sui (581 - 618) and Tang (618 - 907) dynasties, the farming there had reached a level close to that of the central plains.

Bai aristocrats backed by the Tang court unified the people of the Erhai area and established the Nanzhao regime of Yis and Bais. Its first chief, Piluoge, was granted the title of King of Yunnan by a Tang emperor. Slaves were used to do heavy labor, while "free" peasants were subject to heavy taxation and forced to render various services including conscription into the army. Some of them, who lost their land, were made slaves.

Song

The Nanzhao regime lasted for 250 years. During that period of time, while maintaining a good relationship with the central government, the rulers cruelly oppressed the slaves and mercilessly plundered other ethnic nationalities through warfare. Productivity was thus seriously harmed. This caused slave rebellions and uprisings. Nanzhao's power came to an end in the year 902. Then a regime based on a feudal lord system, known as the Kingdom of Dali, was established. The kingdom adopted a series of measures such as abolishing exorbitant taxes and removing conservative ministers. As a result, social productivity was restored.

The kingdom lasted for over 300 years (937 - 1253) as a tributary to the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) court. It sent war-horses, handicrafts and precious medicines to the court, and in return received science and technology, as well as books in the Han language. Economic and cultural exchanges with the Hans contributed greatly to the development of this border area.

Yuan, Ming and Qing

The kingdom was conquered by the Mongols in the 13th century, and Yuan Dynasty (1206 - 1368) rule was established there. The Mongols designated Yunnan a province while establishing Dali and Heqing as prefectures. In order to strengthen their control over Dali, the Yuan rulers offered former chieftains official posts and granted their families hereditary privileges. Though land was mainly concentrated in the hands of the local aristocracy at that time, the feudal lord system began to give way to a landlord system.

The Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) took power from the Yuan rulers in 1381. The Ming court removed local chieftains and replaced them with court officials. This kind of reform resulted in the weakening of the political and economic privileges of the local lords, brought freedom to the slaves and raised the enthusiasm of the peasants for farming. Those Bais and Hans who had emigrated were encouraged to return, while Hans from other areas were persuaded to settle there. This measure accelerated the development of the landlord economy of Bai society.

In addition to the continuation of the Ming policy of dispatching officials from the central government, the Qing (1644 - 1911) court also appointed local officials and chieftains to rule over the Bais. Some Bai people in remote areas still suffered feudal exploitation and oppression at the time of liberation.

Culture and Folklore

Over the centuries, the Bais have created a science and culture of their own. Agriculture was dominant in the Erhai area as early as the Neolithic Age. People then knew how to dig ditches for irrigation. During the Nanzhao regime, they began the cultivation of rice, wheat, broomcorn, millet and several other crops, and built the Cangshan water-conservancy project which could bring water to tens of thousands of hectares of land. To their credit are inventions and advances in meteorology, astronomy, calendar, architecture, medical science, literature, music, dancing, carving and painting.

Architecture

The superb architectural skill of the Bai people is represented by the three pagodas at the Chongsheng Temple in Dali. Built during the Tang Dynasty, the 16-storey main tower is 60 meters high and still stands erect after more than 1,000 years. It bears a resemblance to the Dayan Pagoda (Wild Goose) in Xi'an, an ancient Chinese capital city in today's Shaanxi Province.

Figurines in the Shibaoshan Grottoes in Jianchuan County are lifelike, possessing both the common features of figure creation in China and the unique features of the Bai artists. The architectural group in the Jizushan Temple, with bow-shaped crossbeams, bracket-inserted columns, and gargoyles representing people, flowers and birds created with the open carving method, shows the excellent workmanship of the Bai people. The Bais also have high attainments in lacquerware.

Literary works

They have created a wealth of literary works reflecting their life, work, and struggles against nature and oppression. The epic, Genesis, sings the praises of the communal life of Bai primitive society. Some poems by Bai poets have been included in the Complete Poems of Tang Dynasty. The History of the Bais, "Anecdotes of Nanzhao" and "Kingdoms of Southwest China" are among the best historical works written by Bai historians. They provide important data for the study of the history of the Erhai area.

Folklore

The Bai people are good singers and dancers. The "Lion Dance," created during the Nanzhao regime, was appreciated in the central plains during the Tang Dynasty. Bai opera, known as chuichui, is an art form combining folk music and dancing. It has also absorbed some of the characteristics of Han operas. The famous painting depicting the Resurgence of the Nanzhao was created in 899 A.D. by Bai painters Zhang Shun and Wang Fengzong. This masterpiece was stolen by foreign imperialists in 900 from Beijing.

Customs and Habits

The Bais are Buddhists and worshippers of "communal god." Dotted with monasteries and temples, Dali has been known as a "Scented Wonderland." Abbots who held huge amount of land and other property in the past were big landlords and usurers. The ordinary people were heavily burdened by this caste and by religious activities which required sacrifices of cattle and other valuables.

Monogamous families have been the basic social cells of the Bais, with a very few people who practiced polygamy. Parents live with their unmarried children, but only in big landlord families did four generations live together. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, matches between young men and young women of the same surname or clan were not permitted, while marriages between cousins were encouraged, and were arranged by the parents. High bride prices caused many poor families to fall into debt. Women were discriminated against, and only men had the right to inherit family property. But all such feudal practices and customs have been fading away since 1949. Young people now enjoy the freedom to choose their lovers.

The March Fair

The "March Fair," which falls between March 15 and 20 of the lunar calendar, is a grand festival of the Bais. It is celebrated every year at the foot of the Diancang Hill to the west of Dali city. It is a fair and an occasion for sporting contests and theatrical performances. People gather there to enjoy dances, horse racing and other games.

The Torch Festival

June 25 is the "Torch Festival." On that day, torches are lit everywhere to usher in a bumper harvest and to bless the people with good health and fortune. Streamers bearing auspicious words are hung in doorways and at village entrances alongside the flaming torches. Villagers, holding aloft torches, walk around in the fields to drive insects away.

Food and clothes

For the diet, they prefer sharp, cold and spicy flavor, so they prefer cured ham or fish eaten with rice or flour; though some people in the mountains eat corn as a staple food.

The Bai people favor white clothes and decorations. White in Chinese is pronounced 'Bai', so maybe this is where their name derives from. Women in Dali traditionally wear a white coat trimmed with a black or purple collar, blue loose trousers; embroider shoes, silver bracelets and ear rings.

Religion

Although the Bai people believe in Buddhism, they also respectively worship their village god ('Benzhu'), Nature god, the Prince of the Nanzhao regime, or even a hero of folklore.

Economy

Before 1949, the feudal landlord economy was dominant in most Bai areas. Incipient capitalism had developed in a few cities and towns, while vestiges of the primitive communalism and remnants of the slave system were still in existence. Commercial capitalism found its way into some Bai areas at the beginning of the modern times. Trading companies owned by bureaucrat landlords emerged, shipped in commodities such as yarns and cloth from the United States, Britain and France via India, Burma and Vietnam, and exported gold, silver, and farm and sideline produce.

New Life

Democratic reform and socialist transformation proceeded in the Bai areas in much the same way as in the Han inhabited areas, but the reforms were carried out in a more gradual manner in those areas with vestiges of pre-capitalist economic organization. Cooperatives were set up to boost production on the basis of abolishing class exploitation and the remnants of primitive communalism. The Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture was founded in November 1956 after the completion of the democratic reform and socialist transformation.

Bai Ethnic Group Highlights

Bai Ethnic Group Highlights Related

Bai Ethnic Group FAQ & Travelers's Tips

1. Who are the Chinese?
2. Is there any religion that was originated from China?
3. What do religious Chinese people believe in nowadays?
4. What is the policy of China to Ethnic Groups?
5. What was the most powerful spiritual statement a person in ancient china could make?
6. Why China is called one of the Four Great Ancient Civilizations?
7. How to understand the insight of Buddhism?
8. What determines an ethnic group?
9. Where did the names of ethnic groups come from?

1. Who are the Chinese?

   The people of China have always been a diverse group. Beginning in 221 B.C.E. the ethnic groups of China were first unified under the Qin Dynasty. This short-lived dynasty was followed by one of the longest, the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.- 220 C.E.)

   Today the majority of the Chinese population (92%) is called Han or "sons of Han after this dynasty". Within the Han majority are many ethnic groups that speak 7 mutually unintelligible dialects such as Cantonese and Fujianese and maintain their own customs and traditions. Despite their differences these ethnic groups have been absorbed into the Han majority. A common written language and a strong central government, both created by the Qin and refined by the Han and later dynasties, are the ties that hold the Han majority together.

   Fifty-six ethnic groups, including the majority Han people, live in China. An ethnic group is recognized by the Chinese government as a group of people of common origin living in a common area, using a common language, and having a sense of group identity in economic and social organization and behavior. Non-Han ethnic groups are referred to as ethnic minorities but are considered Chinese citizens. Since 1949 ethnic minorities have been politically equal to the Han majority and are guaranteed special representation in the National People's Congress.

   The constitution prohibits discrimination against and oppression of any ethnicity. Historically this has not always been the case nor have the Han always dominated China's political and economic arenas. Twice, China was ruled by non-Han nationalities: The Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) established by the Mongolians, and China's last dynasty, the Qing, ruled by the Manchus. The First Republic of China (1911) recognized the Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui (Muslim) and Tibetan people through its five colored flag. But persecution and forced assimilation into the majority way of life under the Guomindang (National People's Party 1928-1937) and during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) created tension between the Han and the ethnic minorities, some which still exist today. Through financial aid, material resources and exemptions to national policies like the "one child" policy for ethnic minority in urban areas, the government is working towards its goal of a "unified, multi-ethnic state" as declared in the constitution.
   




2. Is there any religion that was originated from China?

   Yes. China is the homeland of Taoism.
   
   Taoism refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions and concepts. These traditions have influenced East Asia for over two thousand years and some have spread internationally. The Chinese character Tao (or Dao, depending on the romanisation scheme) means "path" or "way", although in Chinese religion and philosophy it has taken on more abstract meanings. Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility. Taoist thought focuses on wu wei (non-action), spontaneity, transformation and emptiness/omnipotence. An emphasis is placed on the link between people and nature, and that this link lessens the need for rules and order, leading one to a better understanding of the world and one's surroundings.
   
   Nature and ancestor spirits are common in popular Taoism. Organized Taoism distinguishes its ritual activity from that of the folk religion, which some professional Taoists (Daoshi) view as debased. This sort of shamanism is eschewed for an emphasis on internal alchemy among the "elite" Taoists.
   
   Chinese alchemy, astrology, cuisine, several Chinese martial arts, Chinese traditional medicine, fengshui, and many styles of qigong breath training disciplines are intertwined with Taoism throughout history.




3. What do religious Chinese people believe in nowadays?

   China is a country with a great diversity of religious beliefs. As the communication developed during the long history of China, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism have become some main religion for modern Chinese people.

   • Buddhism has a history of 2,000 years in China. Currently China has 13,000-some Buddhist temples and about 200,000 Buddhist monks and nuns. Among them are 120,000 lamas and nuns, more than 1,700 Living Buddhas, and 3,000-some temples of Tibetan Buddhism and nearly 10,000 Bhiksus and senior monks and more than 1,600 temples of Pali Buddhism.
     
     
   • Islam was introduced into China in the seventh century. Nowadays in China there are ten national minorities, including the Hui and Uygur, with a total population of 18 million, whose faith is Islam. Their 30,000-odd mosques are served by 40,000 Imams and Akhunds.
     
     
   • Catholicism was introduced into China intermittently in the seventh century, but it had not spread widely until after the Opium War in 1840. At present, China has four million Catholics, 4,000 clergy and more than 4,600 churches and meeting houses.
     
     
   • Protestantism was first brought to China in the early 19th century and spread widely after the Opium War. There are about 10 million Protestants, more than 18,000 clergy, more than 12,000 churches and 25,000-some meeting places throughout China.
     
     
   China has the following national religious organizations: Buddhist Association of China, Taoist Association of China, Islamic Association of China, Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, Chinese Catholic Bishops' College, Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the Protestant Churches of China, and China Christian Council.
   In the course of the country's long history, the various religions in China have become part of the traditional Chinese thinking and culture. It is traditional for Chinese religious believers to love their country and religions. The Chinese government supports and encourages the religious circles to unite the religious believers to actively participate in the construction of the country.
   



4. What is the policy of China to Ethnic Groups?

   China is a united and multi-national country. China has 56 ethnic groups. Han people accounts for about 92 percent of the whole population and the rest of the people from other nationalities over 8 percent. During the long process of historical development, many people from various minority nationalities gradually get used to living in compact communities in areas mainly populated by Han people.
   
   A new policy towards the many ethnic groups of China is: all ethnic groups within the boundaries of the People's Republic of China are equal. They establish unity and mutual aid among themselves, and shall oppose imperialism and public enemies in their midst so that the People's Republic of China will become a big fraternal and cooperative family comprising all its ethnic groups. 'Greater nationalism' and 'local nationalism' should be opposed. Acts of discrimination, oppression and dividing the various nationalities should be prohibited.

   Many Ethnic Groups protected by this policy retain their own traits. Under this policy, many ethnic groups develop well in politics, economy, culture, and religion. Some influential ethnic groups such as: Yao Ethnic Group, Zhuang Ethnic Group, Miao Ethnic Group, Uygur Ethnic Group, Tibetan Ethnic Group, Dong Ethnic Group
   



5. What was the most powerful spiritual statement a person in ancient china could make

   Being empty was the highest spiritual to ancient Chinese people. Being empty doesn't refer to being mindless, nevertheless, when someone wouldn't think highly of material substance, he wouldn't care the existence of anything, because having equals not having, and vice versa. When one doesn't care anything's existence, he can concentrate on the process of his project and finally fulfill his personal achievement.

   Now you might ask: how can one achieve anything without the help of material substance. Well, materialism can be the very cause of failure. Caring too much about substance around you will distract you or lead you to a wrong way. There is a Chinese saying: there is always a way to climb up a mountain, which means, caring too much about substance is not necessary because everything you need will come to you eventually.
   
   



6. Why China is called one of the Four Great Ancient Civilizations?

   The history of China is told in traditional historical records that refer as far back as the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors about 5,000 years ago, supplemented by archaeological records dating to the 16th century BC. China is one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations. Chinese civilization originated with city-states in the Yellow River valley. 221 BC is the commonly accepted year when China became unified under a large kingdom or empire. Successive dynasties in Chinese history developed bureaucratic systems that enabled the Emperor of China to control the large territory.
   
   With the development of the economy of China, China becomes very strong and affluent. Many areas form their own cultural environment. The customs, living style, economic conditions and so on is different from other areas. They form their special cultures. Some local culture are very famous and interesting, such as Shu Culture, Hakka Culture, Dongba Culture. While Lop Nur Culture exhibits to us the past ancient civilization of Lop Nur. Lop Nur Culture was a bright pearl on the ancient Silk Road.
   




7. How to understand the insight of Buddhism?

   Buddhism is one of five main religions existed in China. The essence of the Buddha's teachings is summed up in the Four Noble Truths of his first sermon. The Buddha's quest was to find a way beyond personal suffering, not through reliance on dogmas, creeds or philosophies but in actual experience based in insight. He ruthlessly exposed the nature of life realising that, due to impermanence and death, life can never be apart from suffering. This suffering arises primarily because we crave permanence, ego-enhancing credentials and safety: to go beyond suffering necessitates going beyond this craving, an endeavour that demands an examination of the self. The Buddha proclaimed: Life is suffering, Suffering is due to wanting, and especially wanting connected with the self, Suffering diminishes when this wanting is abandoned, the way how to do it.

   Chinese Zen, or Chan as it is called in China, is a way of life that encourages clarity of mind, compassion to all sentient beings and a wisdom that comes from going beyond the concerns of self. The famous Shaolin Temple is a Temple of Zen.



8. What determines an ethnic group?

   There are several aspects that determines whether one kind of people can form an ethnic group.

   • Distinct language: While hundreds of Chinese dialects are spoken across China, a minority language is not simply a dialect. Rather, it is a language with distinct grammatical and phonological differences from Chinese. Language families include Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Indo-European, Austro-Asiatic, and Austronesian. Twenty-one ethnic minority groups have unique writing systems.
     
     
   • A Recognized Indigenous Homeland: A territory within the national boundaries of China, from which the group originated. Native history and mythologies are interwoven into this native land.
     
     
   • Distinctive Customs: Ranging from dress, marriage rituals, cuisine, religion, and so forth.
   
   
   • A Strong Sense of Identity: Feeling of relation with other members of the group, along with historically perceived friends and enemies among other groups.

9. Where did the names of ethnic groups come from?

   Many of the original Chinese names for minorities come from a long history of contempt. In 1951, the use of derogatory names was abolished, but the new, currently used names were set by Han Chinese. As the Communist Party has relaxed its iron grip in recent years, minorities have been given flexibility in choosing their own official names.