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The Yi people (own name in the Liangshan dialect: ꆈꌠ, official transcription: ''Nuosu'', as ''Lô Lô'' and in Thailand as Lolo) are a modern Ethnic Group in China , Vietnam , and Thailand. Numbering 8 million, they are the seventh largest of the 55 Minor Ethnic Groups officially recognized by the People's Republic Of China . They live primarily in rural areas of Sichuan , Yunnan , Guizhou , and Guangxi , usually in mountainous regions. There are 3300 Lô Lô peoples (1999 statistics) living in Hà Giang , Cao Bằng and Lào Cai provinces in Vietnam. The Yi speak Yi , a Tibeto-Burman language closely related to Burmese , which is written in the Yi Script . DIVERSITY The Chinese government has grouped the Nisu, Nasu, Sani, Axi, Lolopo, Pu, and tens of dozens of other peoples speaking more than six completely distinct languages with dozens of dialects into a single group called the Yi. Because of this, a Yi from one area may not be able to communicate with a Yi from another area; and may or may not even agree that they both are Yi. Most Yi are farmers; herders of cattle, sheep and goats; and nomadic hunters. Only about one third of the Yi are literate. Most have no written language. RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS Although the younger generation seems less devoted, the Yi have generally been animists, worshipping the spirits of ancestors, hills, trees, rocks, water, earth, sky, wind, and forests. Magic plays a major role in daily life through healing, exorcism, asking for rain, cursing enemies, blessing, divination and analysis of one's relationship with the spirits. They believe dragons protect villages against bad spirits, and demons cause diseases. After someone dies they sacrifice a pig or sheep at the doorway to maintain relationship with the deceased spirit. The Nuosu religion (from the Nuosu or Nasu group in the Yi minority) distinguishes two sorts of shamans: the « bi-mox » and the “su-nyit”. Bi-mox are the most revered and maybe also important agents in the Nuosu religion, to the point that sometimes the Nuosu religion is also called “bimox religion”. When one can becomes a bimox by patrilineal descent after a time of apprenticeship, one becomes a su-nyit by election or after having been “elected”. Both can perform rituals. But only bimox can perform rituals linked to death. Bimox are said to be literate too. LOCATION Of the over 8 million Yi people, over 4.5 million live in Yunnan Province, 2.5 million live in southern Sichuan Province, and 1 million live in the northwest corner of Guizhou Province. Nearly all the Yi live in mountainous areas, often carving out their existence on the sides of steep mountain slopes far from the cities of China.
HISTORY Legend has it that the Yi are descended from the ancient Qiang people of today's Western China, who are also said to be the ancestors of the Tibetan , Naxi and Qiang peoples. They migrated from Southeastern Tibet through Sichuan and into Yunnan Province, where their largest populations can be found today. They practice a form of Animism , led by a shaman priest known as the Bimaw. They still retain a few ancient religious texts written in their unique pictographic script. Their religion also contains many elements of Daoism and Buddhism . Many of the Yi in northwestern Yunnan practiced a complicated form of Slavery . People were split into the ''nuohuo '' or Black Yi (nobles) and ''qunuo'' or White Yi (commoners). White Yi and other ethnic groups were held as slaves, but the higher slaves were allowed to farm their own land, hold their own slaves and eventually buy their freedom. LANGUAGE
LIST OF YI SUB-GROUPS Groups listed below are sorted by their broad linguistic classification but in reality is more of the general geographic area where they live. Within each section, largest groups are listed first. The approximate total population is in parenthesis. Southern (1,082,120): Nisu; Nasu, Southern; Muji; A Che; Gaisu, Southern; Pula; Boka; Lesu; Adu; Chesu; Laowu; Alu; Azong; Xiuba Southeastern (729,760): Poluo; Sani; Axi; Azhe; Lolo, Southeastern; Jiasou; Puwa; Aluo; Awu; Digao; Meng; Xiqi; Ati; Daizhan; Asahei; Laba; Zuoke; Ani; Minglang; Long Central (565,080): Lolopo; Lipo, Dayao; Niesu, Central; Enipu; Lopi; Popei Eastern (1,456,270): Nasu, Eastern; Nasu, Panxian; Nasu, Wusa; Nosu, Shuixi; Lipo, Wuding; Nosu, Mangbu; Gepo, Eastern; Naisu; Wumeng; Naluo; Samei; Sanie; Luowu; Guopu; Gese; Neisu, Xiaohei; Neisu, Dahei; Depo; Laka; Lagou; Aling; Tushu; Gouzou; Wopu; Samadu, Eastern Western (1,162,040): Laluo, Mishaba; Lolo, Western; Xiangtang; Lalu, Xinping; Lalu,Yangliu; Tusu; Gaiji; Laluo, Jiantou; Xijima; Limi; Mili; Lawu; Qiangyi; Samadu, Western; Gepo, Western; Lalu, Xuzhang; Eka; Gaisu, Western; Suan; Pengzi Northern (2,534,120): Nosu, Shengba; Nosu, Yinuo; Nosu, Xiaoliangshan; Nosu, Butuo; Suodi; Nosu, Tianba; Bai Yi; Naruo; Naru; Talu; Mixisu; Liwu; Awu, Northern; Tagu; Liude; Naza; Ta'er Unclassified (55,490): Michi (Miqie); Nasu, Jinghong; Apu; Muzi; Tanglang; Micha; Ayizi; Guaigun REFERENCES
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