Yunnan Ethnic Minority Image Library (Zhuang)

Author: Editorial Committee of "Illustrated Album of Yunnan's Ethnic Minorities"
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-12-01
Features: The Zhuang ethnic group is one of the ethnic minorities in southwestern China, with a total population of 15.49 million nationwide. In Yunnan, the Zhuang people primarily inhabit Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in southeastern Yunnan, which borders Guangxi Autonomous Region to the east, Vietnam to the south, Honghe Prefecture to the west, and Qujing Prefecture to the north. Small populations are also distributed in adjacent areas. According to the 2000 population statistics of Yunnan Province, there were 114,000 Zhuang people in the province. The Zhuang people have numerous self-designations and exonyms. In Yunnan, the Zhuang people's self-designations mainly fall into three major categories: Nong, Sha, and Tu Liao. Each category is further divided into different branches, and beneath the branches, there are additional self-designations and exonyms. Historically, the character "" was originally written as "" or "" in ancient texts, but in 1965, "" was adopted as the unified ethnic name. The Zhuang language originated from the ancient Yue people of southern China. In the Zhuang language, the ancient Yue people are referred to as Buxiu, Buyai, Buyi, and others. This indicates that the Zhuang people of Yunnan are descendants of the ancient Yue people. Some scholars also propose that the Pu people of the ancient Baiyue system were part of the ancestors of the Zhuang people. In reality, the development of a nation is a complex process, and it is not impossible that, over a long period, intermarriage and integration with some foreign ethnic groups occurred. Today's Zhuang people of Yunnan have indeed formed through such integration.