Li people: Survey of Fuguan Village, Wuzhishan City, Hainan Province (Series of Surveys on Ethnic Villages in China)

Author: Zhang Yue
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The Li people primarily inhabit the central and southern parts of Hainan Province, including Dongfang, Baisha, Lingshui, Changjiang Li Autonomous County, and Ledong, Qiongzhong, and Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County. The rest are scattered and live in other cities in Hainan, intermingling with local ethnic groups. The Li people have their own language, Li, which belongs to the Zhuang-Dong branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Due to long-term interactions with the Han people, many Li people can speak both Li and Chinese. In the past, the Li people had no written script of their own and used Chinese characters. In 1957, they created Li script based on the Latin alphabet. They once practiced ancestor worship and nature worship, and now some people follow Christianity. The Li people primarily engage in agriculture, with some also involved in handicrafts, animal husbandry, and commerce. Coastal fishing and salt production resources are abundant in Li areas, making them one of China's important rubber production bases. Traditional Li housing includes two types: boat-shaped houses and golden-pyramid-shaped houses. Boat-shaped houses are bamboo and wood structures with an appearance like a boat canopy, supported by bamboo and wood frames. Golden-pyramid-shaped houses use tree trunks as supports and have walls woven from bamboo strips. The Li people are known for their generous and outgoing nature, as well as their talent for singing and dancing. Li music and dance have a unique charm. Today, the "bamboo pole dance" has become one of Hainan's most distinctive dance performances.