Azhe Ethnic People

Overview of the Azhe Ethnic Group

The Azhe Pu (阿哲濮), also known as Azhe People, are a subgroup within the Yi (彝族) ethnic group. The name “Azhe Pu” is derived from the core ethnic name “Azhe” (阿哲) and the paternal marker “Pu” (濮), which signifies a paternal ancestral worship system. The term originated from a geographical name and later evolved into the name of a tribal subgroup. The Azhe people are primarily concentrated in the Yi ethnic areas of Mile (弥勒), Kaiyuan (开远), Yimen (易门), and Shuangbai (双柏) counties in Yunnan Province (云南省).

Linguistic research shows that “Pu” in the Yi language represents both the paternal ancestor worship system and the meaning of “people” or “tribe.”

Other Names: Age Pu (阿格濮)

Language: Yi language, Eastern dialect (彝语东部方言)

Geographical Distribution: Mile, Yimen, Shuangbai

Origin: Derived from a geographical name

Ethnic Affiliation: A subgroup of the Yi people

Cultural Characteristics: Patriarchal inheritance

Self-Identification Structure

The self-identification of the Azhe people is composed of two key elements:

Core Ethnic Name “Azhe” (阿哲), which identifies the lineage of the subgroup.

The suffix “Pu” (濮), which is a paternal marker and has phonetic variations such as phu, pho, pha in different dialects.

This structure is one of the six typical self-identification patterns within the Yi ethnic group, sharing common features with names such as Nuosu (诺苏) and Nasuo (纳苏).

Historical Evolution

The formation of the term “Azhe Pu” went through three stages:

It was originally used as a geographical name, referring to an ancient, undocumented place.

During the Yi people’s Naime (耐姆) ancestor worship rituals, the name gradually evolved into an independent subgroup identifier through clan differentiation.

By the Ming and Qing dynasties, it became fixed as the subgroup’s name, mainly used in the Eastern dialect regions of the Yi-speaking population.

Population and Distribution of the Azhe People

Population Size

The total population is estimated to be between 45,000 to 58,000 people, depending on different statistical sources.

Core Settlement Area: Mile City (弥勒市), with approximately 45,700 people.

Other settlements include Huaning County (华宁县) with 7,200 people, Kaiyuan City (开远市) with 4,600 people, and Jianshui County (建水县) with 200 people.

Major Distribution Areas

Yunnan Province (云南省), Honghe Prefecture (红河州)

• Mile City (弥勒市): Xunjiansi Township (巡检司镇), Wushan Township (五山乡), Jiangbian Township (江边乡), Hongxi Township (虹溪镇), Pengpu Township (朋普镇), Zhuyuan Township (竹园镇)

• Kaiyuan City (开远市): Xiaolongtan (小龙潭), Zhongheying (中和营)

• Jianshui County (建水县): Panjian Township (盘江乡)

• Huaning County (华宁县): Panxi Township (盘溪镇)

Linguistic surveys show that the “Pu” suffix in self-identifications is also prevalent in the Eastern dialect regions of Bijie (毕节) and Luquan (禄劝) in Guizhou Province (贵州省).

Language and Cultural Characteristics

The Azhe people speak the Azhe Yi dialect (阿哲土语), a variety of the Yi language spoken in the southeastern part of the Yi-speaking region. They have preserved ancient Yi written texts and Bimo culture (毕摩文化).

Key cultural elements include:

Embroidery and tea culture, particularly in marriage customs such as the tea ceremony for newlyweds.

Social Functions

In traditional Yi culture, the Azhe people play a significant role in:

Distinguishing Bloodline Affiliations: The Azhe subgroup, including Azhe Pu (阿哲濮) and Azhe Xie (阿细濮), maintains distinct sub-branch boundaries.

Strengthening the Patrilineal Inheritance System: The term “Pu” (濮) represents male ancestral lineage, reinforcing the transmission of clan heritage through the father’s side.

Ancestral Worship: The identity of the subgroup is affirmed during ancestral worship ceremonies, where the legitimacy of the name is upheld through periodic rituals.

Linguistic Research

Scholars have confirmed the ethnolinguistic status of the Azhe people using the following methods:

Phonetic Comparison: The word “Pu” (濮) is related to self-designations used by other Tibeto-Burman speaking ethnic groups.

Lexical Structure: The term “Azhe Pu” follows the “core word + marker word” structure, which is characteristic of the Yi self-designation system.

Semantic Analysis: The term embodies both bloodline identity and geographical identity.

Major Festivals and Activities of the Azhe Ethnic Group

1. Dragon Festival (祭龙节) – Core Festival

Time: From the 30th day of the first lunar month to the 2nd day of the second lunar month (in 2025, this will be from February 27 to March 2).

Location: Xunjiansi Township (巡检司镇), Taowa Village (陶瓦村), Zejü Village (则居村), Wushan Township (五山乡), Mile City (弥勒市), Honghe Prefecture (红河州)

Activities:

• Dragon Seed Ritual: Male villagers adorn their bodies with tattoos, wear brown clothing and grass skirts, and venture into the mountains to collect the “dragon seed,” followed by a procession of blessings.

• Ancestral Blessing Ritual: The Bimo (毕摩) chants the “Dragon Offering Sutra” (祭龙经), while villagers spread pine leaves to welcome guests and pray for favorable weather and prosperity.

• Unique Sub-branch Tradition: Taowa Village (陶瓦村) retains the rare “female-led dragon worship” custom, where women lead the entire ritual process.

2. Aizu and Aisha Song and Dance Art Festival (爱佐与爱莎歌舞艺术节)

Time: 24th day of the 6th lunar month (in 2025, this will be July 18).

Location: Aizu-Aisha Art Plaza (爱佐爱莎艺术广场), Wushan Township (五山乡), Mile City (弥勒市)

Activities:

• Bimo Blessing Ceremony: The Bimo leads prayers for blessings.

• Azhe Embroidery and Weaving Exhibition: Showcase traditional Azhe embroidery and weaving techniques.

• Ecological Song and Dance Performances: Includes performances like Azhe Happy Song (阿哲欢歌), blending intangible cultural heritage with modern music and dance.

3. Torch Festival (火把节)

Time: 24th day of the 6th lunar month (celebrated alongside other Yi subgroups).

Location: Mile City (弥勒市) and surrounding Azhe settlements.

Activities:

• Bull Sacrifice: The sacrificial ritual involves offering a bull.

• Climbing the Sacred Mountain for Blessings: Participants ascend the sacred mountain to pray for prosperity and good fortune.

• Festivities: The festival includes bullfighting, traditional singing, dancing, and other forms of celebration.

4. Other Activities

Embroidery and Costume Contest: Held in August (for example, August 10, 2024), this event showcases the traditional costumes and embroidery techniques of the Azhe people.

Bimo Cultural Transmission: During daily activities, the Bimo (毕摩) passes down knowledge in philosophy, medicine, and other fields through sacred texts and rituals.

Cultural Characteristics

Dragon Totem Worship: The Dragon Festival combines reproductive worship with agricultural rituals to mark the beginning of the spring farming season.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation: The Bimo sacred texts (such as the “Dragon Offering Sutra” or 《祭龙经》) and embroidery techniques are listed as provincial-level intangible cultural heritage.

Gender Roles: The Dragon Festival features differences in leadership, with Redwan Village (红万村) having male-led ceremonies, while Taowa Village (陶瓦村) features female-led rituals.

For details about the specific activities in 2025, you can follow Mile City’s Cultural and Tourism Information or announcements from Wushan Township (五山乡).