Yunnan Ethnic Minority Image Library - Lisu Ethnic Group

Author: Editorial Committee of "Illustrated Album of Yunnan Ethnic Minorities" (compiled by Zhou Wenlin)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-05-01
Features: The Lisu ethnic group primarily resides in Yunnan Province, with a small population also distributed in Sichuan Province. In Yunnan, the Lisu population exceeds 578,000, mostly living in the river valleys, slopes, and plateaus at altitudes of 1,500 to 3,000 meters along the Jinsha River, Lancang River, and Nujiang River. Most Lisu people live in small villages of 10 to 50 households, organized around family and clan units. The Lisu ethnic group has a long history. Based on linguistic classification and geographical distribution, it can be inferred that the Lisu are descendants of the Di-Qiang people, belonging to a branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family. The Lisu script has two forms: one is a phonetic script created in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, composed of modified Latin uppercase letters, and the other is a new script based on the Latin alphabet, created in 1957 after the liberation, known as the "Old Lisu Script" and "New Lisu Script," respectively. Historically, the Lisu practiced primitive religion, believing in the spirit of all things. For funerals, festivals, and illnesses, they would invite shamans ("Ni Pa") to sacrifice animals to appease spirits and perform divination. In the late 19th century, Western missionaries entered Lisu areas, introducing Christianity and Catholicism. In Lijin Township, Lijiang City, there are still over 200 Lisu people who follow Christianity, with simple churches set up in seven gathering points. On Sundays, Easter, and Christmas, they gather for religious services, teaching believers not to drink alcohol, smoke, neglect cleanliness, sacrifice animals, or break the law, which has had a positive impact. Hunting holds an important position in the traditional life of the Lisu people. Lisu men have honed exceptional crossbow shooting skills through hunting. In crossbow competitions, the winner is the archer who can split a bamboo arrow in half by shooting it at a blade. The Lisu also celebrate the "Knife and Rod Festival," a holiday commemorating Chinese heroes. In areas around Lijin Township, Lijiang City, there are the "Mountain Chase Festival" during the Dragon Boat Festival and the "Sacred Water Festival" during the Grain Buds Festival. The Lisu people are warm and hospitable, with unique etiquette. When hosting guests, the host pours a large bowl of wine and holds it with one hand while the guest does the same, drinking together from the "harmony wine" while hugging each other's necks and shoulders. At this moment, the host subtly tilts the bowl toward the guest to encourage them to drink more, as a gesture of respect. The attire of Lisu women is very beautiful. Based on the differences in clothing colors, they are divided into three types: White Lisu, Black Lisu, and Flower Lisu. The White and Black Lisu women in Yunnan Nujiang Prefecture typically wear right-front-opening tops and hemp long skirts. Young girls enjoy wearing red ribbons adorned with small white shells. Some women also wear necklaces made of agate, sea shells, or silver, with simple horizontal and vertical patterns or small holes drilled into the shells, which the Lisu call "La Bai Li Di" in their language. In Lushui County, Black Lisu women do not wear long skirts, wearing right-front-opening tops, small aprons around their waists, long pants, and blue cloth headbands, with small coral-like ornaments in their ears. In Yongshi and Dehong, the Flower Lisu women's attire is even more vibrant and beautiful. Women love to decorate their tops and long skirts with intricate floral embroidery, wrap colorful cloth headbands, and wear large copper or silver earrings. Their skirts reach the ground, swaying gracefully as they walk, exuding elegance and charm. Through long-term productive practices, the Lisu people have developed a natural calendar suitable for local agricultural production and life, known as the "Bird and Flower Calendar." This calendar divides the year into 10 seasonal months based on the blooming of flowers and the calls of birds, such as the Flower Month, Bird Call Month, Fire Mountain Month, Hunger Month, Gathering Month, Harvest Month, Wine Brewing Month, Happy Wine Month, New Year Month, and House Building Month. In terms of classification, this calendar can be categorized as a ten-month calendar. It is a crystallization of the Lisu people's productive practices and fully reflects their intelligence and ingenuity.