Yunnan Ethnic Minority Image Library ( Yao Ethnicity )

Author: Editorial Committee of "Illustrated Album of Yunnan's Ethnic Minorities"
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Yao ethnic group is one of the minority groups in southern China. The total population of the Yao in China is 2.13 million, distributed across Guangxi, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces. In Yunnan, more than half of the Yao population resides in the Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, with higher concentrations in the four counties of Funiin, Malipo, Maguan, and Guangnan. Additionally, they are found in Pingbian, Jinping, and Hekou counties of the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, as well as in Mengla County of the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, and in Jindong, Jiangcheng, and Mojiang counties of the Simao Prefecture. According to the 2000 population statistics of Yunnan, the Yao population was 290,000. The Yao are descendants of the ancient You people, tracing their lineage back to the Jiuli and Sanmiao tribes. To this day, some Yao groups still identify themselves as You. The term "Yao" is a direct Chinese translation of "You." The Yao ethnic group has numerous subgroups, including the Lanlan Yao, Shanyao, Banya Yao, and Hongtou Yao in Yunnan. The Yao language belongs to the Hani-Tibetan language family, Miao-Yao branch, Yao branch, and is divided into four major dialect groups: Yao, Bunu, Laja, and Chinese. Due to their long-term coexistence with Han, Zhuang, Miao, and other ethnic groups, the Yao generally speak Chinese and some also speak Zhuang or Miao. Historically, the Yao did not have their own writing system, but they valued literacy. Over time, they adopted Chinese characters to represent the pronunciation of their language, which gradually evolved into a writing system with strokes resembling Chinese calligraphy.