Skip to content Skip to footer

25 Minorities in Yunnan

Yunnan is a microcosm of China in the areas of minority affairs and nationality relations. The province has 25 minority groups, nearly half of the country’s total (56 ethnic groups) . With such ethnic diversity it is important to ask the question: what criteria are used to determine minority status and classification? Basically, there are five ways: Race , Language, Culture, Religion, History.

In Yunnan race is not a major consideration, as it is in northwest China where Caucasian exist, Language and culture, however, are of primary interest because they are the basis for classifying most minority nationalities. Religion plays a role in groups such as the Hui ( Muslims ) who, to all intents and purposes, are Chinese except for their faith. Historical background can sometimes tip the balance in determining the status of a people. The Bai , who have a high cultural level and speak a language closely related to Mandarin, are clearly not Chinese on the basis of their long, well-recorded and independent history.

Achang Ethnic Group
Bai Ethnic Group
Bouyei Ethnic Group
Bulang Ethnic Group
Dai Ethnic Group
Deang Ethnic Group
Dulong Ethnic Group
Hani Ethnic Group
Hui Ethnic Group
Jingpo Ethnic Group
Jinuo Ethnic Group
Lahu Ethnic Group
Lisu Ethnic Group
Man Ethnic Group
Miao Ethnic Group
Mongol Ethnic Group
Naxi Ethnic Group
Nu Ethnic Group
Pumi Ethnic Group
Shui Ethnic Group
Tibetan Ethnic Group
Wa Ethnic Group
Yao Ethnic Group
Yi Ethnic Group
Zhuang Ethnic Group

The peoples

Except 25 minorities mentioned in Yunnan, there are three kinds of the Peoples, for the reason of they are not the really a kind of minority in China . but they are the certain branches of the minorities. The three Peoples have the special customs which are quite different with their original nations and very interesting in the recent days for their names in tourism of Yunnan.

Aini Ethnic People
Mosuo Ethnic People
Shani Ethnic People