As early as 10 thousand years ago, there were Zhaotong people living in the area. During the Western Han Dynasty, Zhaotong was officially designated as Shushi Shire. The Han Culture has been dominant in Zhaotong since then.
In addition, Aboriginal Culture, Immigrant Culture and Folk Minority Culture are also important to Zhaotong.
Zhaotong has a great number of ethnic minorities. Among the 520 thousand minority people, Yi and Miao ethnic minorities dominate. In addition to the traditional festival of Yi and Miao, unique local operas, music and dances are all common entertainments in the Zhaotong People’s daily life.
Historical figures
LUNG YUN, Government official; born at Zhaotong, Yunnan in 1888 ; attended the Yunnan Chiang Wu Tang < Military Institute), from which he was graduated in 1912 ; joined army service and participated in the campaign against Yuan Shih-kai ; Commander of 3rd Chien Kuo Chun (National Establishment Army) in 1921 ; Commander-in-Chief of 5th Chien Kuo Allied Army in 1925 ; Defense Commissioner of Kunming, 1926 ; joined the Northern Expeditionary Army in spring of 1927 ; made a member of Military Council ; Commander-in-Chief of the 13th Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army ; Commander of the 38th Army, since 1927 ; Commander- in-Chief of the 10th Route Army of the Anti-rebel Expeditionary Army ; Chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Government, since 1928, and now con- currently Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Route Army of the Communist- suppression Forces ; address : Yunnan Provincial Government, Kunming, Yunnan.
The History of Yi People
Some scholars believe that the Yi are descended from the ancient Qiangpeople of today’s western China, who are also said to be the ancestors of the Tibetan, Naxi and Qiang peoples. They migrated from southeasternTibet through Sichuan and into the Yunnan Province, where their largest populations can be found today.
They practice a form of animism, led by a shaman priest known as theBimaw. They still retain a few ancient religious texts written in their unique pictographic script. Their religion also contains many elements of Daoism and Buddhism.
Many of the Yi in Liangshan and northwestern Yunnan practiced a complicated form of slavery. People were split into the nuohuo or Black Yi (nobles), qunuo or White Yi (commoners), and slaves. White Yi were free and could own property and slaves but were in a way tied to a lord. Other ethnic groups were held as slaves.
Legend
Most Yi believe they have the same ancestor, (Axpu Ddutmu or Axpu Jjutmu). It is said that Apu Dumu married three wives and had six sons: each of the wives bore two sons. In the legend, the oldest two sons leading their tribes conquered other aborigines of Yunnan and began to reside in most territory of Yunnan. The youngest two sons led their tribes eastwards and were defeated by Han, before finally making western Guizhou their home and creating the largest quantity of Yi script documents. The other two sons led their tribes across the Jinsha River and dwelled in Liangshan. This group had close intermarriage with the local.
Known History
Most Yi live in Liangshan, Chuxiong, and Honghe. At the Lizhou archaeological site (Chinese: 礼州遗址) nearXichang of Liangshan, dating to 3,000 years ago, many artifacts of the Neolithic Age have been discovered. Although no evidence proves that these ancient cultures of stone age have direct correlation with modern Yi people, their descendants, local bronze culture, may have had some influence on Yi people, as the ancestors of Yi people had frequent contact and intermarriage with local tribes, such as Dian (Chinese: 滇), Qiong (Chinese: 邛) and Zuo (Chinese: 笮), during their southwards migration from north eastern edge of Tibetan Plateau. Today, the Yi people still call the city of Xichang as ꀒꎂ (Op Rro). In spite of the affix “or-”, the root “dro” is believed by some scholars as related to the tribe Qiong (Chinese: 邛) as the pronunciation is quite close to the ancient pronunciation of Chinese character 邛.
Torch Festival of Yi
The Torch Festival, which falls on June 24 – according to the Lunar Calendar of the Yi nationality — every year, is the most important traditional holiday of Yi people.
During the festival, people burn torches for three days and nights to drive away insects from eating crops.
Meanwhile, Yi villagers also sacrifice pigs and cows during memorial ceremonies for their ancestors. In the evening, they walk around their fields with torches, and gather around bonfires, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments. Similar to Valentine’s Day, the Torch Festival also provides the opportunity for young people to select their “Mr. and Mrs. Right”.
The Chuxiong city is a part of the administrative division of the prefecture by the same name. It lies in the central part of the Yunnan Province and is approximately 100 miles from the capital city of Kunming and about 110 miles from Dali, which is a popular tourist destination for tourists and students. The city automatically becomes a part of the travel itinerary of summer programs for high school students and other study abroad programs.
The city is marked by beautiful natural surroundings. There are rivers and mountains along with many interesting sites which give a remarkable overview into Chinese history and culture. The city is comprised of the biggest population of the Yi ethnicity. Along with Yi people, it is also the home of Han, Lisu, Miao, Dai, Hui, Bai, Hani, Zhuang minorities, just to name a few. This cultural diversity shows in the lifestyle of the people in the city and hence it can be another pivotal observation point for studying diverse cultures. Its proximity to Kunming makes it an ideal location to visit during weekends, especially since Kunming is the hub for multiple Chinese language programs as well as Chinese summer programs.
Shuangbai County (双柏县) is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.Shuangbai County is the heartland of Yunnan province, the east of Ailao Mountain and lies on the south of the divide between the Jinsha River and the Red River. It is close to Yimen County, E’shan County and Xinping County of Yuxi district in the southeast.It connect with Lufeng County in the north,adjoining with Jingdong County and Zhenyuan County of Simao district in the west. Multiple minorities promote the colorful and long-standing history of Shuangbai county.
The History of Jinsha River
The Jinsha River (Chinese: 金沙江, p Jīnshājiāng, “Gold Dust River”) is the Chinese name for the upper stretches of the Yangtze River. It flows through the provinces ofQinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan in western China. The river passes through Tiger Leaping Gorge.It is sometimes grouped together with the Lancang (upper Mekong) and Nu (upper Salween) as the Sanjiang (“Three Rivers”) area,part of which makes up the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas.
The river was first recorded as the Hei (黑水, Hēishuǐ,lit. “Blackwater”) in the Warring States’ “Tribute of Yu”. It was described as the Sheng (t 繩水, s 绳水, Shéngshuǐ, “Rope River”) in the Han-era Classic of Mountains and Seas. During the Three Kingdoms, it was known as the Lu (t 瀘水, s 泸水,Lúshuǐ). The present name was adopted in during the Song dynasty.
Owing to earlier romanization systems, the river has been known as the Chin-sha Chiang and Kinsha Kiang (when it was not simply described as the Yangtze) in English sources for the last three centuries. The most common present name,Jinsha is the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the same Chinese characters as the other two.
Although the name is generally over-literally translated as the “Gold Sand” or “Golden-Sanded River”, the name is not poetic or descriptive of the color of the river’s banks. Instead, 金沙 described actual placer gold, alluvial gold powder sometimes still panned from the river’s waters.The Jinsha culture in prehistoric China derives its name from a road near its type site and not from the river directly.
The History of Yi Ethnic Group
Some scholars believe that the Yi are descended from the ancientQiang people of today’s western China, who are also said to be the ancestors of the Tibetan, Naxi and Qiang peoples. They migrated from southeastern Tibet through Sichuan and into the YunnanProvince, where their largest populations can be found today.
They practice a form of animism, led by a shaman priest known as the Bimaw. They still retain a few ancient religious texts written in their unique pictographic script. Their religion also contains many elements of Daoism and Buddhism.
Many of the Yi in Liangshan and northwestern Yunnan practiced a complicated form of slavery. People were split into the nuohuo or Black Yi (nobles), qunuo or White Yi (commoners), and slaves. White Yi were free and could own property and slaves but were in a way tied to a lord. Other ethnic groups were held as slaves.
Yingchun Teahouse(迎春茶室)
Address: No.5 of Yongxing Road, Shuangbai county, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州双柏县永兴路5号)
Hongfu Teahouse(鸿福茶室)
Address: No.61 of Dongxing Road, Shuangbai county, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture楚雄彝族自治州双柏县东兴路61号)
Just Waiting For You(就等您)
Address: No.5 of Yongxing Road, Shuangbai county, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州双柏县永兴路5号)
Shuangbai Grand Hotel KTV(双柏大酒店-KTV)
Address: Inside the Shuangbai Grand Hotel, Shuangbai county, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州双柏县双柏大酒店内)
Tel: 0878-7716888
Yile KTV(彝乐KTV)
Address: Gongnong Road, Shuangbai county, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州双柏县工农路)
Tel: 0878-7721828
Donglaidongwang Bar(东来东往)
Address: No.22 of Dongxing Road, Shuangbai county, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture楚雄彝族自治州双柏县东兴路22号)
Tel: 13887880667
Music House Bar(音乐房子Bar)
Address: The Gate of Chamu Golden Lake Garden, Shuangbai county, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture楚雄彝族自治州双柏县查姆金湖秀园大门口)
Traditions and Customs of Torch Festival in Each Dynasty
The Torch Festival or Fire Festival (Chinese: 火把节; pinyin: Huǒbǎ Jié) is one of the main holidays of the Yi people of southwest China, and is also celebrated by other ethnic groups of the region. It is celebrated on the 24th or 25th day of the sixth month of the Yi calendar, corresponding to August in the Gregorian calendar. It commemorates the legendary wrestler Atilaba, who drove away a plague of locusts using torches made from pine trees. Since 1993, the government of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan has sponsored a modernised celebration of the festival, featuring wrestling, horse racing, dance shows, and a beauty contest. Different groups set the festival at different time.
In the Torch Festival, every family needs to light a torch and hold the torch to illuminate the corners in the room and walk around the fields. Some villagers even have torch parade so as to drive away all bad lucks and pray for a harvest. The custom of holding a torch to shed light on tree and field was found in Han people in Southern Song Dynasty. In Ming and Qing Dynasties, people in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces had the custom as well. The most attractive activity is the Bonfire Party. People play music instruments like Yusheng(乐声), yueqin(月琴) and sanxian(three stringed plucked instrument), singing and dancing for a whole night.
Mouding county (牟定县) is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.It is situated in the north-central part of Yunnan province.The county is 57.6 kilometers from north to south, and 53.6 kilometers from west to east at most. Within the territory of Mouding County,the highest elevation is 2879 meters, and the lowest elevation is 1140 meters,while the average elevation is 1758 meters in the county town of Gonghe. By 2012, Mouding county has the distribution of ethnic Yi, Bai, Dai, Zhuang, Miao, Hui, Lisu, Lahu, and so on. Yi occupies 20.04% of the total population. Multiple minorities promote the colorful and long-standing history of Mouding county.
The History of Yi Ethnic Group
The Yi or Lolo people[3] are an ethnic group in China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Numbering 8 million, they are the seventh largest of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People’s Republic of China. They live primarily in rural areas ofSichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi, usually in mountainous regions. As of 1999, there were 3,300 “Lô Lô” people living in Hà Giang, Cao Bằng, and Lào Cai provinces in northeastern Vietnam.
The Yi speak various Loloish languages, Sino-Tibetan languages closely related to Burmese. The prestige variety is Nuosu, which is written in the Yi script.
Some scholars believe that the Yi are descended from the ancientQiang people of today’s western China, who are also said to be the ancestors of the Tibetan, Naxi and Qiang peoples. They migrated from southeastern Tibet through Sichuan and into the YunnanProvince, where their largest populations can be found today.
They practice a form of animism, led by a shaman priest known as the Bimaw. They still retain a few ancient religious texts written in their unique pictographic script. Their religion also contains many elements of Daoism and Buddhism.
Many of the Yi in Liangshan and northwestern Yunnan practiced a complicated form of slavery. People were split into the nuohuo or Black Yi (nobles), qunuo or White Yi (commoners), and slaves. White Yi were free and could own property and slaves but were in a way tied to a lord. Other ethnic groups were held as slaves.
Best Tea House(一品茶屋)
Address: Wanshou Road, Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县万寿路)
Sunshine Leisure Club(阳光休闲会所)
Address: Western Zhongyuan Road, Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县中园西路)
Tel: 15125912559
Friends Tea House(益友茶楼)
Address: Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县)
Tel: 0878-5368960
A Cup of Fragrant(一杯清香)
Address: Wanshou Road, Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县万寿路)
Hidden House(隐世居)
Address: Wanshou Road, Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县万寿路)
Tel: 13887882536
Jinsui Coffee Bar(金穗咖啡吧)
Address: No.46 of Dongjie, Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县东街46号)
Youth-Center Bar(青年中心酒吧)
Address: Wanshou Road, Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县万寿路)
Free Zone Bar(自由地带酒吧)
Address: Nanda Street, Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州牟定县南大街)
The Torch Festival (火把节)
The Torch Festival is a traditional festival popular in the regions of the Yi people in Shuangbai county. It is also celebrated among other ethnic groups such as the Bai, Naxi, Jinuo and Lahu. The festival features lighting up torches, hence its name. It usually falls in early June of the lunar calendar or on the 24th or 25th of the month, usually lasting for three days of celebrations. The origin of the festival may have something to do with the worship of fire by ancestors, who believed fire had the power to repel insects, drive away evils and hence protect crop growth. For some ethnic groups, it is a tradition of the festival for elders to share farming experience with young people and admonish them to take care of crops.
Mouding county (牟定县) is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.It is situated in the north-central part of Yunnan province.The county is 57.6 kilometers from north to south, and 53.6 kilometers from west to east at most.Within the territory of Mouding County,the highest elevation is 2879 meters, and the lowest elevation is 1140 meters,while the average elevation is 1758 meters in the county town of Gonghe. By 2012, Mouding county has the distribution of ethnic Yi, Bai, Dai, Zhuang, Miao, Hui, Lisu, Lahu, and so on. Yi occupies 20.04% of the total population. Various minorities promote the long-standing and colorful culture here.
Traditions and Customs of Torch Festival in Each Dynasty
The Torch Festival or Fire Festival (Chinese: 火把节; pinyin: Huǒbǎ Jié) is one of the main holidays of the Yi people of southwest China, and is also celebrated by other ethnic groups of the region. It is celebrated on the 24th or 25th day of the sixth month of the Yi calendar, corresponding to August in the Gregorian calendar. It commemorates the legendary wrestler Atilaba, who drove away a plague of locusts using torches made from pine trees. Since 1993, the government of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan has sponsored a modernised celebration of the festival, featuring wrestling, horse racing, dance shows, and a beauty contest. Different groups set the festival at different time.
In the Torch Festival, every family needs to light a torch and hold the torch to illuminate the corners in the room and walk around the fields. Some villagers even have torch parade so as to drive away all bad lucks and pray for a harvest. The custom of holding a torch to shed light on tree and field was found in Han people in Southern Song Dynasty. In Ming and Qing Dynasties, people in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces had the custom as well. The most attractive activity is the Bonfire Party. People play music instruments like Yusheng(乐声), yueqin(月琴) and sanxian(three stringed plucked instrument), singing and dancing for a whole night.
Nanhua County is a district of hills in the northwest and mountains in the southeast,with some embankment and canyons. The highest peak is Incense temple mountain, rising to 2861.1 meters in the Longtan Mountain of Red Soil Town, and the lowest point is 963 meters in Majie county. It has an area of 2343 square kilometers, population of 239.9 thousand.
By the end of 2012, Nanhua county has an ethnic minority population of 102912 , which accounts for 42.9% of the total population, including 90721 yi, 37.8% of the population; Bai 9215 people, accounting for 3.8% of the population; Hui 2093, accounting for 0.9% of the total population. Multiple minorities promote the colorful and long-standing history of Nanhua county.
The History of Yi Ethnic Group
The Yi or Lolo people[3] are an ethnic group in China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Numbering 8 million, they are the seventh largest of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People’s Republic of China. They live primarily in rural areas ofSichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi, usually in mountainous regions. As of 1999, there were 3,300 “Lô Lô” people living in Hà Giang, Cao Bằng, and Lào Cai provinces in northeastern Vietnam.
The Yi speak various Loloish languages, Sino-Tibetan languages closely related to Burmese. The prestige variety is Nuosu, which is written in the Yi script.
Some scholars believe that the Yi are descended from the ancientQiang people of today’s western China, who are also said to be the ancestors of the Tibetan, Naxi and Qiang peoples. They migrated from southeastern Tibet through Sichuan and into the YunnanProvince, where their largest populations can be found today.
They practice a form of animism, led by a shaman priest known as the Bimaw. They still retain a few ancient religious texts written in their unique pictographic script. Their religion also contains many elements of Daoism and Buddhism.
Many of the Yi in Liangshan and northwestern Yunnan practiced a complicated form of slavery. People were split into the nuohuo or Black Yi (nobles), qunuo or White Yi (commoners), and slaves. White Yi were free and could own property and slaves but were in a way tied to a lord. Other ethnic groups were held as slaves.
The entertainment facilities of Nanhua county are impeccable. You can find tea houses everywhere, local people always spend their leisure afternoon in these tea houses. KTV is also one of the best choices when you want to spend a pleasant night. Bars and cafe are also nice. And the special festivals of the local people are interesting.
Penghui Tea(鹏辉茶)
Address: No.87 of Xijie, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县西街87号)
Jiulong Tea House(九龙茶楼)
Address: Wenming Road, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县文明路)
Jiayuan Tea House(佳园茶室)
Address: G320, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县G320)
Tel: 13099826189
Wangxige(望溪阁)
Address: Shangzhu Community, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县商住小区)
Weimei Space(唯美空间)
Address: Shangzhu Community, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县商住小区)
Tel: 13008685716
YIxiyuan Bar(彝熙园酒吧)
Address: Longchuan Town, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县龙川镇)
Tel: 13987071865
Caizhu KTV(蔡珠KTV)
Address: Near the Tobacco Board, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县烟草局)
Tel: 0878-7222698
Xingdu KTV(星都KTV)
Address: Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县)
Tel: 0878-7212866
Fate Sky KTV(缘分天空KTV)
Address: Shangzhu Community, Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture(楚雄彝族自治州南华县商住小区)
Tel: 13578452404
The Torch Festival (火把节)
The Torch Festival is a traditional festival popular in the regions of the Yi people in Shuangbai county. It is also celebrated among other ethnic groups such as the Bai, Naxi, Jinuo and Lahu. The festival features lighting up torches, hence its name. It usually falls in early June of the lunar calendar or on the 24th or 25th of the month, usually lasting for three days of celebrations. The origin of the festival may have something to do with the worship of fire by ancestors, who believed fire had the power to repel insects, drive away evils and hence protect crop growth. For some ethnic groups, it is a tradition of the festival for elders to share farming experience with young people and admonish them to take care of crops.
Zhaotong boasts a profound historical culture and is known as one of the three headstreams of Yunnan Culture (Dali, Zhaotong and Kunming). As early as 10 thousand years ago,...
Chuxiong City is a part of Yunnan Province that has generated considerable interest among the scientific community and students alike. This is because the city and the surrounding areas...
Chuxiong City is a part of Yunnan Province that has generated considerable interest among the scientific community and students alike. This is because the city and the surrounding areas...
Chuxiong City is a part of Yunnan Province that has generated considerable interest among the scientific community and students alike. This is because the city and the surrounding areas...
Shuangbai County (双柏县) is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.Shuangbai County is the heartland of Yunnan province, the east of Ailao Mountain and lies on the...
The entertainment facilities of Shuangbai county are impeccable. You can find teahouses everywhere, local people always spend their leisure afternoon in these teahouses. KTV is also one of the...
Shuangbai County (双柏县) is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.Shuangbai County is the heartland of Yunnan province, the east of Ailao Mountain and lies on the...
Mouding county (牟定县) is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.It is situated in the north-central part of Yunnan province.The county is 57.6 kilometers from north to...
The entertainment facilities of Mouding county are impeccable. You can find teahouses everywhere, local people always spend their leisure afternoon in these teahouses. KTV is also one of the...
Mouding county (牟定县) is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.It is situated in the north-central part of Yunnan province.The county is 57.6 kilometers from north to...
Nanhua County is a district of hills in the northwest and mountains in the southeast,with some embankment and canyons. The highest peak is Incense temple mountain, rising to 2861.1...
The entertainment facilities of Nanhua county are impeccable. You can find tea houses everywhere, local people always spend their leisure afternoon in these tea houses. KTV is also one...
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