Bai people
 | This articlemay requirecopy editingfor grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling.(December 2023) |
Bạch tộc | |
|---|---|
 Women dressed in Bai clothing | |
| Total population | |
| 1,858,063[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| China,mostly in theYunnan Province(Daliarea),Guizhou Province(Bijiearea) andHunan Province(Sangzhiarea) | |
| Languages | |
| Bai,Chinese | |
| Religion | |
| Buddhism,BenzhuismandTaoism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Han Chinese•Hui OtherSino-Tibetan peoples |
| Bai people | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | Bạch tộc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheBai,orPai(Bai:Baipho,/pɛ̰˦˨xo̰˦/( bạch cùng );Chinese:Bạch tộc;pinyin:Báizú;Wade–Giles:Pai²-tsu²;endonympronounced[pɛ̀tsī]), are anEast Asianethnic group native to theDali Bai Autonomous PrefectureofYunnan Province,Bijiearea ofGuizhou Province,andSangzhiarea ofHunan Province.They constitute one of the 56ethnic groupsofficially recognized byChina.[2]They numbered 1,933,510 as of 2010.[3]
Names[edit]
The Bai people hold the colour white in high esteem and call themselves "Baipzix" (pɛ˦˨tsi˧,Baizi, bạch tử ), "Bai'ho" (pɛ˦˨xo˦,Baihuo, bạch hỏa ), "Bai yinl" (pɛ˦˨ji˨˩,Baini, bạch ni ), or "Miep jiax".Baimeans "white" in Chinese. In 1956, the Chinese authorities named them the Bai nationality according to their preference.[4]
The Bai were also been called Minjia ( dân gia ) by the Chinese from the 14th century to 1949.[5]
The origin of the name Bai is not clear, but scholars believe that it is connected to the first state in which the Bai people built, in the 3rd century CE.[citation needed]This state, calledBaizi Guo( bạch tử quốc, State of Bai), was not documented in Chinese orthodox history, but was frequently mentioned in the oral history ofYunnan Province.It was believed to have been built by the first king, Longyouna ( long hữu kia ), who was given the family name "Zhang"( trương ) byZhuge Liang,the chancellor of the state ofShu Han(221–263 CE). Zhuge Liang conquered the Dali region at that time, and assisted Longyouna in building the State of Bai. The State of Bai was located in present-dayMidu County,Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture,Yunnan Province.[6]
Modern identity[edit]
The Bai people are one of the mostsinicizedminorities in China. Although technically one of China's 56 official ethnic groups, it is difficult to qualify them as a distinct ethnic minority. As early as the 1940s, some rejected their non-Chinese origin and preferred to identify themselves solely as Chinese. The Bai ethnic label was not widely used or known until 1958. Today, the Bai people accept minority status for pragmatic reasons; however, they are culturally nearly indistinguishable from Han Chinese.[7]
One prerequisite for creating a hybrid form of Chinese would be a unique cultural identity, distinct from the Han, but the Bai people have been said by the sinologist Charles Patrick Fitzgerald to have held no ‘strong national feeling’ even before 1949. Hence, Fitzgerald, author of an authoritative study on Bai (whom he called by their former Chinese name, the Min-kia [minjia dân gia ]), said that many travelers regarded them as an ‘absorbed people hardly to be distinguished from Han Chinese.[8]
— Duncan Poupard
Location[edit]
Bai people live primarily in the provinces ofYunnan(Daliarea), and in neighboringGuizhou(Bijiearea) andHunan(Sangzhiarea) provinces. Of the 2 million Bai people, eighty percent live in concentrated communities in theDali Bai Autonomous Prefecturein Yunnan Province.[9]
History[edit]
The origin of the Bai people has been heavily debated over the past century, though those debates mainly focus on the groups of people who were assimilated. According to archaeological excavations around Lake Erhai, the Bai people could have originated in the area around the lake. The earliest human site was discovered in the early 20th century, which was called the paleolithic Malong relics of Mt. Cangshan ( Thương Sơn mã long di chỉ ), dated circa 4000bp.The late sites include Haimenkou of Jianchuan ( kiếm xuyên hải cửa, 3000 bp), Baiyangcun of Binchuan ( tân xuyên bạch dương thôn, 3500 bp), and Dabona of Xiangyun ( tường vân đại sóng kia, 2350 bp).
The Bai are mentioned inTang dynastytexts as the 'Bo (or Bai) People'. Assuming the Bo transcription is correct, the earliest mention of the Bai was in the third century BCE in a text calledLüshi Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü Buwei).They were mentioned again in Sima Qian'sRecords of the Grand Historianin the first century BCE.[10]
The Bai were one of the tribes that helped establish theNanzhao Kingdom(649–902). TheDali Kingdom(937–1253) was founded byDuan Siping,a Bai man whose family had played major roles in the Nanzhao Kingdom. It is likely that the Bai were one of the elite ethnic groups that ruled and composed the population of the two kingdoms.[citation needed]After the collapse of the Dali Kingdom by theMongols,the Bai never again enjoyed full political independence.
Language[edit]
An estimated 1,240,000 (as of 2003) of the Bai speak theBai languagein all its varieties.[citation needed]As of 2004, only Bai people who lived in the mountains spoke Bai as their only language, but someHan ChineseinDalialso spoke Bai due to local influence. Among modern Bai people, Chinese is usually used for popular media such as radio, television, and news, while Bai is relegated to folk-arts related activities.[11]No book in the Bai language has been published as of 2005.[10]
The origins of the language have been obscured by many years of intensive Chinese influence. Several theories have been proposed, including categorizing it as a sister language ofChinese,a separate group within theSino-Tibetanfamily, or in a category more related to theThai languageorHmong language.[12]Superficially, the Bai lexicon and grammar are closer to Chinese languages, but they also share common vocabulary items with theLolo-Burmese languages.[10]According to theManshu(Book of Barbarians) byFan Chuo(9th century), theBaiman's pronunciation of Chinese was the most accurate out of all the tribes in the area.[13]Scriptures from Nanzhao unearthed in 1950s show that they were written in the Bai language (similar toChữ Nômand theOld Zhuang script) but it does not seem Nanzhao ever attempted to standardize or popularize the script. The same was true for its successor, theDali Kingdom.During theMing dynasty,the government began offering state examinations inYunnan,which solidifiedClassical Chineseas the official language.[14]
Religion[edit]
Although most Bai people adhere toAzhaliism,a form ofBuddhismthat traces its history back to theNanzhao Kingdom,[10][15][16]they also have a native religion ofBenzhuism:the worship ofngel zex(Bổn chủ;běnzhǔ), local gods and ancestors. Ngel zex could be any hero in history—the prince of theNanzhaoregime, a hero of folklore or even a tiger (for instance, Laojun JingdiLão quân Cảnh đếis a tiger).
Most Bai people don't belong to any religion.[citation needed]There are minorities practicingTaoismandChristianity.George Clarke, who arrived in 1881, was the first Protestant missionary to the Bai population. The most recent estimation of Bai Christian population is 50,000.[17]
There are a few villages in Yunnan where residents areMuslims,but speak Bai as their first language. These people are officially classified by Chinese authorities as belonging to theHui nationalityand call themselvesBai Hui( "Bai-speaking Muslims" ). They usually say that their ancestors wereHui people,who came to Yunnan as followers of the Mongolian army in the 14th century.[18]
Culture[edit]
Gender[edit]
Gender roles were relatively equal in Bai society and women were not considered inferior to men. Having only daughters and no sons was not considered a tragedy.[19]
Agriculture[edit]
Most Bai were subsistence rice farmers, but they also cultivated wheat, vegetables, and fruits. Unlike the Han and most other Chinese minority groups, the Bai ate cheese and made it from either cow or goat milk. The leftover whey from the process of cheese-making was fed to pigs. Those who lived aroundErhai Lakefished.[20]
Clothing[edit]
The Bai people, as their name would suggest, favor white clothes and decorations. Women generally wear white dresses, sleeveless jackets of red, blue, or black color, embroidered belts, loose trousers, embroidered shoes of white cloth, and jewelry made of gold or silver. Women inDalitraditionally wear a white coat trimmed with a black or purple collar, loose blue trousers, embroidered shoes, silver bracelets, and earrings. Unmarried women wear a single pigtail on the top of their head, while married women roll their hair. The men wear white jackets, black-collared coats, and dark loose shorts. Their headwear and costume reflect the Bai symbols:[21]the snow, the moon, the flower, and the wind.
Many Bai women style their hair in a long braid wrapped in a headcloth. This style is called "the phoenix bows its head".[22]
Arts[edit]
The Bai have a traditional form of theater calledChuichuiqiang.However, this local tradition is endangered just as traditional Bai culture is in general.[10]
Festivals[edit]
Raosanlin[edit]
The three major Bai festivals are called the Raosanlin (Walking Around Three Souls). The most important one is theThird Month Fair,held annually at the foot ofMount Cangin Dali between the fifteenth and twentieth days of the third lunar month. Originally, it was a religious activity to rally and pay homage, but it gradually evolved into a fair that included performances of traditional sports and dance as well as the trade of merchandise from different regions. The second festival is the Shibaoshan Song Festival, and the third is theTorch Festival,held on the 25th day of the sixth lunar month to wish health and a good harvest. On that evening, the countryside is decorated with banners with auspicious words written upon them. Villagers then light torches in front of their gates and walk around the fields while holding yet more torches in order to catch pests.[19]
Tea ceremony[edit]
The Baitea ceremony,San Dao Cha ba đạo trà (Three Course Tea), is most popular among the Bai in theDaliarea and is a common sight at festivals and marriages. It is both a cultural ceremony and a method of honouring a guest.[23]The ceremony is often described inMandarinas 'Yiku, Ertian, sanhuiwei' một khổ nhị ngọt tam dư vị (First is bitter, Second is sweet, Third brings reflection (aftertaste)).[24]
The first tea course starts with baking thetea leavesin a clay pot over a small flame, shaking the leaves often while they bake. When they turn slightly brown and give off a distinct fragrance, heated water is added to the pot. The water should immediately begin bubbling. When the bubbling ceases, a small amount of bitterly fragrant, concentrated tea remains. Due to the sound the hot water makes when it enters the clay pot, the first course tea was, in previous times, also known as Lei Xiang Cha sấm vang trà (Sound of Thunder Tea).[23]
The second course is sweet tea. Pieces of walnut kernel and roastedrushan( nhũ phiến, lit.milk fan), a dried cheese specific to the Dali region,[25]are put into a tea cup with brown sugar and other ingredients. Boiling water is added and the tea is then offered to the guest. This tea is sweet without being oily, so the guest can easily drink it.[26]
The third tea is made by mi xing honey,Sichuan pepper,slices of ginger, andcassiatogether in a china cup with hot Cangshan Xue green tea.[26]The product is a tea that is sweet, coarse and spicy all at once. This Dali specialty has a noticeable aftertaste, which meant it was known as Hui Wei Cha dư vị trà (Reflection Tea).[23]
The 18 procedures of the tea ceremony are governed by strict etiquette, which follows the principles of etiquette, honesty and beauty. As such, the tea ceremony is considered by some to perfectly embody the hospitable Bai people's current customs.[24]
Livelihood[edit]
Primary occupations[edit]
Most Bai are agriculturalists. They cultivate many crops like rice, wheat, rapeseed, sugar, millet, cotton, cane, corn, and tobacco. However, some Bai also engage in fishing and selling local handicrafts to tourists.[22]
Cormorant fishing[edit]
Bai fishermen have trainedcormorantsto fish since the 9th century. Decreases in water quality and the high costs of cormorant training have resulted in the recent disuse of the practice, though cormorant fishing is still done by local fishers today for tourists.[27]
Architecture[edit]
The Bai architecture is characterized by three buildings forming a U and a fourth wall as a screen. The middle has a courtyard. The houses are usually built out of brick and wood, and the main room is in the middle (opposite the screen wall). The screen wall is built with brick and stone. The house is painted white with black tile paintings depicting animals and other natural images. The detailing is usually made of clay sculptures, woodcarving, colored drawings, stone inscriptions, marble screens and dark brink. It produces a very striking and elegant effect.
Dali is well known for its marble. The name for marble is 'Dali marble' in Chinese. It is used in modern architecture by the Bai.
Notable Bai[edit]
- Duan Siping( đoạn tư bình ) – founder of theKingdom of Dali
- Shen Yiqin( kham di cầm ) – Communist Party Secretary ofGuizhou
- Wang Xiji( vương hi quý ) is an aerospace engineer, designer of theLong March 1rocket
- Xu Lin( từ lâm ) is a linguist and one of the two founders of modern grammar of Bai language.
- Yang Chaoyue( dương siêu việt ) - actress, pop music singer, former member ofRocket Girls 101
- Yang Liping( dương lệ bình ) – dancer
- Yang Rong( dương dung ) – actress
- Yang Yuntao( dương vân đào ) – dancer
- Zhang Le Jin Qiu( trương nhạc tiến cầu ) – legendary ancestor of the Bai
- Zhang Lizhu( trương lệ châu ) – gynecologist
- Zhang Jiebao( trương kết bảo ) was a famous bandit leader, active in the 1920s in northwestern Yunnan.
- Zhao Fan( Triệu phiên ) – scholar, calligrapher and poet
- Zhao Shiming( Triệu thức minh ) – scholar, the first one who studied the Bai language the most systematically.
- Zhao Yansun( Triệu diễn tôn ) – linguist, one of two founders of modern grammar of Bai language.
- Zhou Baozhong( chu bảo trung ) – military general, who led the battles against the Japanese invasion in Northeastern China.
- Fiona Ma( mã thế vân ) – American Politician.
- Dianxi Xiaoge( điền tây tiểu ca ) – Youtuber
See also[edit]
References[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ^"The Bai Ethnic Group".China.org.cn.Retrieved18 March2015.
- ^Solis, Jacqueline."LibGuides: Chinese Ethnic Groups: Overview Statistics".guides.lib.unc.edu.Retrieved2024-05-08.
- ^Yongjia, Liang (2010)."The" Ethnic Error "in Under the Ancestors' Shadow and Dali Society in the Period of the Nationalist Government".Chinese Sociology & Anthropology.42(4): 78–94.doi:10.2753/CSA0009-4625420405.S2CID144747767.
- ^"Bai Ethnic Minority".Chinaculture.org.Retrieved17 May2024.
- ^"Voice quality"(PDF).Sealang.net.Retrieved17 August2018.
- ^Thích, cùng quỹ (c. 1681).Nhĩ Hải tùng đàm (Erhai Congtan).p. 3.
- ^Wu, David Y. H. (1990)."Chinese Minority Policy and the Meaning of Minority Culture: The Example of Bai in Yunnan, China".Human Organization.49(1): 1–13.doi:10.17730/humo.49.1.h1m8642ln1843n45.JSTOR44125990.
- ^Poupard, Duncan James (2019)."Translation as hybridity in Sinophone Bai writing".Asian Ethnicity.20(2): 210–227.doi:10.1080/14631369.2018.1524286.S2CID149581116.
- ^"Ethnic Groups".China.org.cn.Retrieved18 March2015.
- ^abcdeSkutsch, Carl, ed. (2005).Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities.New York: Routledge. pp. 175–176.ISBN1-57958-468-3.
- ^Wang 2004,p. 278.
- ^Wang, Feng (2005). "On the genetic position of the Bai language".Cahiers de Linguistique Asie Orientale.34(1): 101–127.doi:10.3406/clao.2005.1728.
- ^Wang 2004,pp. 279.
- ^Wang 2004,pp. 280.
- ^"Ethnic Groups – china.org.cn".China.org.cn.Retrieved17 August2018.
- ^"Ethnic Groups – china.org.cn".China.org.cn.Retrieved17 August2018.
- ^Hattaway, Paul (2004).Peoples of the Buddhist world: a Christian prayer diary.GMI (Global Mapping International). p. 7.ISBN1903689422.OCLC83780996.
- ^Gladney, Dru C. (1996).Muslim Chinese: Ethnic Nationalism in the People's Republic(2 ed.). Harvard Univ Asia Center. p. 33.ISBN0-674-59497-5.(1st edition appeared in 1991)
- ^abWest 2009,p. 80.
- ^West 2009,p. 79.
- ^"Bai Nationality, Shines in Southwestern China".CITS Group Corporation.Retrieved17 May2024.
- ^abWinston, Robert, ed. (2004).Human: The Definitive Visual Guide.Dorling Kindersley.p. 449.ISBN0-7566-0520-2.
- ^abc"Đại lý bạch tộc" ba đạo trà "( dân tục phong tình )".People.cn.Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2015.Retrieved18 March2015.
- ^ab"Đại mấy ngày liền báo".Daliandaily.Archived fromthe originalon 1 January 2013.Retrieved18 March2015.
- ^"100 nói Vân Nam mỹ thực đồ văn bản đại lý nhũ phiến đại lý danh đồ ăn đại lý ăn vặt - đại lý - Côn Minh Trung Quốc quốc tế cơ quan du lịch công ty hữu hạn".7c6u.cn.Archived fromthe originalon 2016-03-04.Retrieved17 August2018.
- ^ab"Đằng Tấn. Văn học – văn tự chi mỹ, cảm động tâm linh".Book.qq.Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2012.Retrieved18 March2015.
- ^Larson-Wang, Jessica."The History Behind the Cormorant Fishermen of Erhai Lake".Culture Trip.Retrieved2019-08-17.
Sources[edit]
- Travel China Guide – Bai minority ethnic group
- Wang, Feng (2004)."Language policy for Bai".In Zhou, Minglang (ed.).Language policy in the People's Republic of China: Theory and practice since 1949.Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 278–287.ISBN978-1-4020-8038-8.
- West, Barbara A. (2009),Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania
External links[edit]
- The bai ethnic minority
- Bai nationalityArchived2011-05-22 at theWayback Machine
