Geographical Distribution of Dulong Ethnic Minority

The Dulong (独龙) ethnic group, one of the smallest minorities in China, primarily resides in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州) in Yunnan Province. The group’s core population is concentrated in the Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县), particularly in the Dulong River Canyon (独龙江峡谷) and surrounding areas. The Dulong people are known for their unique cultural traditions, including face tattooing and the celebration of the Kaqiewa Festival (卡雀哇节), a national-level intangible cultural heritage event.

The population of the Dulong people is approximately 7,310 (as of 2020), with the majority residing in Gongshan County (贡山县). They live in traditional villages such as Kongdang Village (孔当村) and Bapo Village (巴坡村), where they maintain a subsistence lifestyle centered around farming and hunting. These villages are famous for their rattan weaving and the face tattooing tradition, which is increasingly endangered.

Dulong culture is preserved in its remote settlement areas, which are bordered by Myanmar to the west and Tibet to the north. The Dulong River Grand Canyon (独龙江大峡谷) and the First Bend of Nujiang River (怒江第一湾) are two notable geographical features in the region, offering dramatic landscapes that attract visitors.

Despite their small population, the Dulong people’s cultural heritage remains strong, with efforts to protect their traditions and practices from extinction.

Core Distribution and Population Data

Major Settling Areas

Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州)

The Dulong (独龙) ethnic group primarily resides in the Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县), specifically in the western part of the Dulong River Canyon (独龙江峡谷) and adjacent areas of Weixi Lisu Autonomous County (维西傈僳族自治县), particularly Qile Township (齐乐乡).

Gongshan County (贡山县): The Dulong River Township (独龙江乡) has a population of 4,360 Dulong people, comprising 12.5% of the county’s minority population. A small number of Dulong people also reside in Bingzhongluo Town (丙中洛镇).

Weixi County (维西县): Qile Township (齐乐乡) is a secondary settlement area with unreported population data.

Population Statistics

The total population of the Dulong (独龙) ethnic group is about 6,930 people (as of 2010), representing 0.02% of the province’s total minority population.

The largest concentration of Dulong people is found in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州), which accounts for over 90% of the population.

Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县) has approximately 6,353 Dulong people, and Dulong River Township (独龙江乡) contains 4,360.

Administrative and Autonomous Regions

Autonomous Status

There is no Dulong Autonomous Prefecture (独龙族自治州) in Yunnan, and the only Dulong Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县) in China is located in Gongshan.

Dulong River Township (独龙江乡) is the only administrative unit named after the Dulong ethnic group, and there are no other independent Dulong townships.

Notable Dulong Villages and Cultural Settlements

Dulong Ethnic Villages

The majority of the Dulong people live in Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县) in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州), with smaller populations in Weixi County (维西县) of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (迪庆藏族自治州) and Chayu County (察隅县) in Tibet.

Core Settling Area: Dulong River Township

Dulong River Township (独龙江乡), located in Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县), is the largest settlement of the Dulong people, constituting 65% of the national Dulong population. The township includes six administrative villages, including Kongdang Village (孔当村) and Bapo Village (巴坡村), where Dulong people continue to speak their traditional language and preserve face tattooing and the Kaqiewa Festival (卡雀哇节).

Cultural Villages

Yunnan Ethnic Village, Dulong Village (云南民族村独龙寨) in Kunming City (昆明市): This cultural village exhibits traditional Dulong wooden houses, treehouses, and annual cultural practices.

Villages in Dulong River Township (贡山县独龙江乡), such as Kongdang Village (孔当村) and Bapo Village (巴坡村), maintain traditional farming and hunting lifestyles, and are renowned for their face tattooed women and rattan weaving crafts.

Other Settling Areas

Chayu County (察隅县), Tibet: A small number of Dulong people live in this area, which borders Gongshan County (贡山县) in Yunnan.

Population

The total Dulong population is approximately 7,310 people (as of 2020), making them one of the smallest ethnic minorities in Yunnan.

Core Cultural Area

Dulong River Basin

The Dulong River Basin (独龙江流域) in Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县) is home to six villages (e.g., Bapo Village (巴坡), Maku Village (马库), Kongdang Village (孔当)) where Dulong people preserve their traditional customs, including face tattooing and stilted houses.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Kaqiewa Festival (卡雀哇节), recognized as a national-level intangible cultural heritage, is celebrated annually in all villages of Dulong River Township (独龙江乡), featuring activities such as bull catching and the Guozhuang Dance (跳锅庄).

Geographic Features

Dulong River Grand Canyon

The Dulong River Grand Canyon (独龙江大峡谷), located in Gongshan Dulong River Township (贡山县独龙江乡), is characterized by the dramatic Gaoligong Mountains (高黎贡山) and Dangdali Ka Mountain (担当力卡山), with a vertical drop of 4,000 meters.

First Bend of Nujiang River

The First Bend of Nujiang River (怒江第一湾), located in Bingzhongluo Town (丙中洛镇), forms a horseshoe bend, adjacent to the Dulong settlement areas.

Additional Notes

Border Characteristics

Dulong River Township (独龙江乡) borders Myanmar to the west and Tibet to the north, making it one of the most remote townships in Yunnan. The region has historically been isolated, with the town occasionally cut off due to heavy snowfall, sometimes for as long as six months.

Cultural Preservation

The Dulong people’s face tattooing tradition (纹面习俗) and traditional weaving techniques are considered endangered cultural heritage, with fewer than 20 women still practicing the face tattooing custom.