Based on the research of the scientific community around the world, the editing of Yi researchers from all over the world, and my own exploration, the editor refines the essence, draws inspiration from it, and organizes it for the research and exploration of people with lofty ideals and colleagues. Passed down from generation to generation. Contribute to social harmony, national development, national unity, preservation of national history, cultural characteristics, art, etc.
The Yi nationality is an "ancient southwestern ethnic group", formerly known as the "Yi nationality". Its name originates from the "Southwestern Yi" (the collective name for the southwest ethnic minorities) recorded in Han history. According to historical masterpieces such as the Yi classics "The Origin of the Yi Nationality" and "Southwestern Yi Chronicles", they call themselves Ni (?). In ancient Chinese, "Ni" is pronounced as Yi, so Chinese records are often called "Yi". In 1956, during the period of eradicating the ethnic discrimination in the old society, the Yi people sent representatives to Beijing to meet with Chairman Mao. After learning about the situation and listening to opinions, Chairman Mao made suggestions. Since the name "Yi" had a derogatory connotation (barbarian), they "Yi" was changed to "Yi", which means there are "rice" and "silk" under the house (彑), food and clothing, symbolizing prosperity, so "Yi" was changed to "Yi".
The Yi people are the sixth largest ethnic minority in China. They mainly live in the three provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou in southwest China, with the rest scattered in other provinces of China and outside China. The total population is about 9 million, with 8,714,393 people registered in China (in 2010), and nearly one million more in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand.
There are many branches of the Yi people, including Nuosu, Nisu, Nasu, Nesu, Nizu, Luowu, Asipo, Axi, Sani, etc., and Nipo call themselves names, but not all of them refer to themselves in a national sense. For example, Luowu, Sani, Azhe, and Axi are branch names, and Nuosu, Niesu, Nasu, Naisu, Nie Zu's dialect/dialect self-proclaimed name (accounting for more than 70% of the population) has exactly the same meaning in the Yi context, both originating from "Ni"[1]. In the general name, "Nicuo" (?) can cover all branches at one time title. Some of the Yi dialects in various places cannot communicate directly, but they have more than 60 words in common and the same grammatical structure. After a short period of familiarity, they can have a conversation. The Yi language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family in the Sino-Tibetan language family and is divided into six major dialects.
- Evolution and development of the Yi people -
During the long-term formation and development, the activities of the ancestors of the Yi people once covered the heartland of Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces and part of Guangxi. The core area should be the vast area adjacent to the three provinces.
An important feature in the history of the Yi people is that they have maintained the slave ownership system for a long time. In the Western Han Dynasty in the 2nd century BC and before that, the society of the ancestors of the Yi people had been divided into nomadic tribes and settled agricultural tribes. From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, a group of Sou commanders and Yi kings continued to differentiate in various Yi ancestor areas, indicating that based on the conquest of the Pu people and other ethnic groups, the Kunming tribe had basically completed the transition from a primitive tribe to a slave ownership system.
In the 830s, the scope of rule reached present-day eastern Yunnan, western Guizhou and southern Sichuan, basically controlling the main distribution areas of the Yi ancestors.
The Nanzhao Slavery Dynasty had ruled the Yi ancestor areas for a long time and had a profound impact on the existence and development of local slavery. In the second year of Tang Tianfu's reign (902). During the more than 300 years of the Song Dynasty, the ancestors of the Yi people in the three states of Rong (Yibin), Lu (Luxian), and Li (Hanyuan) were in the midst of the mutual struggle between the Song Dynasty and the Dali regime, and a relatively prosperous slave economy emerged. situation. In conjunction with this, the slave-production relationship resulted in the situation where powerful tribes enslaved small tribes. In the third year of Mongol Khan's reign (1253), the Mongolian cavalry attacked Yunnan in three routes from Sichuan and passed through the Yi areas. This prompted the divided Yi areas to form a relatively loose anti-Mongolian alliance and began to unify under the name of the Luoluo people.
In the 276th year of the Ming Dynasty, Shuixi (Dafang), Wucai (Weining), Wumeng (Zhaotong), Mangbu (Zhenxiong) and Mangbu (Zhenxiong) - Agu ( The Han surnames are Gu), Ahou (the Chinese surnames are Wang), Zou (the Chinese surnames are Sha and Zeng), Jia Na (the Chinese surnames are Li and Zhang) -, Dongchuan (Huize), Yongning (Xuyong), Mahu ( The Yi chieftains (Zimo) in Pingshan), Jianchang (Xichang) and other places are connected together, support each other, and maintain basically the same slavery system. In order to adapt to the low social productivity, each Yi area can basically be divided into chieftains. And 3 levels: black bones, white bones and domestic slaves. On the basis of the above-mentioned hierarchical relationship, the chieftain system of the Yi people in Shuixi, Jianchang, Wumeng and other places in the Ming Dynasty was still the superstructure of slavery.
During the Kangxi and Yongzheng years, the Qing Dynasty implemented the "reform and return to local rule" in the Yi areas, which dealt a heavy blow to the influence of chieftains, Tumu, and slave owners. With the development of social productivity, some areas transitioned from slavery to feudalism relatively quickly.
In the long process of historical development, the Yi people have experienced a process from primitive society, slave society, feudal lordship and landlord system to bureaucratic capitalism and semi-colonial and semi-feudal. In the 8th century AD, the establishment of the "Nanzhao Kingdom" marked the highest development stage of slavery in the history of the Yi people. However, in the historical development process of the Yi people, politics, economy, and culture have always developed unbalancedly. Various social forms such as slavery, feudal serfdom, and feudal landlord economy coexisted. During the two periods before liberation, there was also the social form of bureaucratic capitalism. At the same time, in the process of its development, the Yi people have not only continuously absorbed and integrated other ethnic groups such as the Shiqiang, but also continuously differentiated, forming the Bai, Naxi, Lisu, Hani, Laku, Jinuo, Gelao, etc. , and some even integrated into the Han people.
The Yi people are the oldest member of the Chinese nation, with a far-reaching history and ancient and charming Yi customs. In the long history, the Yi people have developed the characteristics of being good at singing and dancing. They have rich and colorful folk music and dance arts, and the national performances are brilliant and colorful. In addition, they also have unique diet, daily life, weddings and funerals, clothing, hospitality and celebration etiquette, allowing people to return to their original simplicity and experience the charm of ancient civilization.
‘Nation’ did not exist from the beginning of human society. In ancient times, there was no distinction between ‘nation’. Mainly dominated by 'tribal' alliances. Just like the "Han nationality" was also formed by the "Huaxia nationality" during the Qin Dynasty when they united with other tribes in the Han Dynasty. However, the nation has formed a certain regional and stable production, life and reproduction. After thousands of years of tranquility, the people are supported by the mountains and rivers, relying on the mountains to eat, drinking from the water, and the farming culture of men farming and women weaving. Under this circumstance, they have created their own unique astronomical calendar, culture and art, living habits, national characteristics, etc.