Yi

族About this people

The Yi are the sixth-largest ethnic minority in China, with a population approaching ten million concentrated in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern Sichuan and the surrounding mountains of Yunnan and Guizhou. Yi-speaking groups in Yunnan include the Sani, Axi, and Nisu sub-groups, each with distinct dialects and customs. The Yi language family (Loloish branch of Tibeto-Burman) encompasses several hundred dialects organised into six major groups.

The Yi possess one of China's few indigenous writing systems: the Yi syllabary (Yi script), a set of around 800 syllabic characters that record a rich corpus of religious, historical, and astronomical texts. This writing has been standardised and is taught in schools in Liangshan. Yi literature includes the Hnewo Teyy, a cosmogonic epic, and the Mazha, a collection of ancient songs.

Religious and intellectual life was historically led by the bimo — hereditary male priests who memorised and transmitted Yi scripture, conducted rituals for birth, death, illness, and harvest, and served as diviners. The bimo tradition continues in Liangshan. The most celebrated Yi festival is the Torch Festival (Huoba Jie), held in late summer, when communities light enormous torches, dance around fires, and hold wrestling and horse-racing competitions. Yi silver jewellery — elaborate collars, earrings, and headdresses — is a signature craft, as are hand-woven wool plaids.