Geographical Distribution of Bailuo Ethnic People

The Bailuo Ethnic Group (白倮人) is a small but distinct ethnic community predominantly found in Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州) in Yunnan Province. This community has its core settlement areas in Malipo County (麻栗坡县) and Funing County (富宁县).

Core Distribution and Population Data

Primary Settlements

Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州) is the core area for the Bailuo people, primarily distributed in Malipo County (麻栗坡县), specifically in Donggan Town (董干镇) – Chengzhai Village (城寨村) and Xinzai Village (新寨村), as well as Funing County (富宁县) – Muyang Town (木央镇) – Mengmei Village (孟梅村). The total population is about 2,000.

Other Areas

A small population is also found at the border between Guangnan County (广南县) and Malipo County (麻栗坡).

Township-level Settlements

Township County Population Characteristics Notes
Donggan Town (董干镇) Malipo County (麻栗坡县) Primary settlement area for the Bailuo people Chengzhai Village (城寨村) is the largest settlement (686 people)
Muyang Town (木央镇) Funing County (富宁县) Second-largest settlement area Mengmei Village (孟梅村) is an important settlement

Population Statistics

Chengzhai Village (城寨村) has 686 Bailuo residents (2025 data).

The total population of the Bailuo people in Yunnan Province is about 2,000, which accounts for 0.03% of the total Yi ethnic group population.

Autonomous Administrative Regions

The Bailuo community is under the jurisdiction of Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州), but there is no independent Bailuo Autonomous Prefecture.

Autonomous County Status

No Bailuo Autonomous County or Bailuo Ethnic Township exists.

Largest Population Area

County: Malipo County (麻栗坡县) has a population exceeding 1,000.

Township: Donggan Town (董干镇) with Chengzhai Village (城寨村) as the core settlement.

Unique Villages and Cultural Heritage

Nationally Recognized Villages

Chengzhai Village (城寨村) in Donggan Town (董干镇), Malipo County (麻栗坡县):

  • The only village in China that has preserved the traditional Bailuo stilt houses (干栏式建筑群). It was included in the Traditional Villages List in 2012.

  • Recognized as a Yunnan Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Village.

Other Notable Villages

Mengmei Village (孟梅村) in Muyang Town (木央镇), Funing County (富宁县): A key cultural heritage site where traditional marriage customs and sacrificial rituals are preserved.

Xinzai Village (新寨村) in Donggan Town (董干镇), Malipo County (麻栗坡县): Forms part of the core Bailuo cultural zone alongside Chengzhai Village.

Traditional Village Protection

Chengzhai Village (城寨村) has undergone special housing renovations and established a cultural inheritance center.

By 2025, the Yunnan Provincial Traditional Village Protection Measures will cover 777 traditional villages across the province.

Festivals and Cultural Markers

Major Festivals

Festival Name Date Location Features
Qiaocai Festival (荞菜节) First Dragon Day of the fourth lunar month Chengzhai Village (城寨村) Includes Copper Drum Dance and Qiao Soul Welcoming as intangible cultural heritage performances
Jump Palace Festival (跳宫节) Sixth lunar month Muyang Town (木央镇), Funing County (富宁县) A song and dance celebration commemorating the migration of their ancestors

Cultural Symbols

Bailuo Clothing:

  • Made with handwoven fabric and batik techniques, the patterns include symbols representing the universe and all living things.

  • Creating the clothing for women takes about one year and involves 32 detailed processes.

Traditional Cuisine:

  • Buckwheat products, Grilled Pork, and Wild Mushrooms.

Geographical Distribution Characteristics

The Bailuo people live in a pointed distribution concentrated in the northeast part of Wenshan Prefecture (文山州), specifically along the border of Malipo County (麻栗坡县) and Funing County (富宁县). The community forms a “Two Counties, Three Villages” structure (Chengzhai, Xinzai, and Mengmei).

The core area, Chengzhai Village (城寨村), is located in the Karst Mountain area at an altitude of 1,300 meters, with a forest coverage rate of over 80%.