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56-593: Dali has long been a regional centre of commerce, being located at a crossroads of trade routes between Tibet, China, Burma, and Southeast Asia. The Bai people first settled the region 3000 years ago. Dali first emerged as the capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom in the 8th century. Later, the town served as the capital of the Kingdom of Dali until its conquest by the Yuan . The old town of Dali has been preserved in

112-543: A 1.5 by 1.5 km wide townsite surrounded by its ancient walls. Due to its relatively well-preserved architecture, the town has developed as a major tourist attraction in recent decades. Major sites of interest include the Three Pagodas , Dali Museum, the ancient city gates, an artificial town built as the set for Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils , and the Cang Mountain Range to the west. Dali Town

168-524: A distinctive dish known as "raw meat" or "raw skin," which consists of pork that is roasted to a medium doneness, then sliced or shredded, and served with ginger , green onions , vinegar , and chilli peppers to entertain guests. Additionally, there are white wines produced from glutinous rice, "snow plums" crafted from stewed plums and sugar from Cang Mountain , as well as Dengchuan's distinctive "milk fan" and "milk cake", all of which are exceptionally flavourful. Bai tie-dye ( Chinese : 白族扎染 )

224-724: A few villages in Yunnan where residents are Muslims , but speak Bai as their first language. These people are officially classified by Chinese authorities as belonging to the Hui nationality and call themselves Bai Hui ("Bai-speaking Muslims"). They usually say that their ancestors were Hui people , who came to Yunnan as followers of the Mongolian army in the 14th century. Gender roles were relatively equal in Bai society and women were not considered inferior to men. Having only daughters and no sons

280-873: A hereditary ethnic group in Guizhou , Hunan , and Hubei Provinces , specifically in Bijie City , Liuzhi Special District , and Shucheng County within Liupanshui City in Guizhou; Sangzhi County in Zhangjiajie City in Hunan; and Hefeng County in Enshi Prefecture in Hubei. The origin of the Bai people has been heavily debated over the past century, though those debates mainly focus on

336-522: A long braid wrapped in a headcloth. This style is called "the phoenix bows its head". The Bai have a traditional form of theater called Chuichuiqiang . However, this local tradition is endangered, as is traditional Bai culture in general. The three major Bai festivals are called the Raosanlin (Walking Around Three Souls). The most important one is the Third Month Fair , held annually at

392-595: A multi-ethnic state that included eastern Guizhou, northern Vietnam, southern Xishuangbanna , northern Myanmar, northwestern Tibet's Shenchuan神川 (now Lijiang ), and northeast to Xuzhou戌州 (now Yibin ) in Sichuan. In the second year of Tianfu of the Later Jin dynasty (937 AD), Duan Siping, the military governor of Tonghai of the Later Jin, joined forces with the thirty-seven eastern regions to march on Dali, overthrew

448-633: A native religion called Benzhuism : the worship of ngel zex ( 本主 ; běnzhǔ ), local gods and ancestors. Ngel zex could be any hero in history—the prince of the Nanzhao regime, a hero of folklore or even a tiger (for instance, Laojun Jingdi 老君景帝 is a tiger). George Clarke, who arrived in 1881, was the first Protestant missionary to the Bai population. Few Bai individuals adhere to the Christian faith; yet, Christian churches exist in Dali. There are

504-706: A sister language of Chinese , a separate group within the Sino-Tibetan family, or in a category more related to the Thai language or Hmong language . Superficially, the Bai lexicon and grammar are closer to Chinese languages, but they also share common vocabulary items with the Lolo-Burmese languages . According to the Manshu (Book of Barbarians) by Fan Chuo (9th century), the Baiman' s pronunciation of Chinese

560-433: A white coat trimmed with a black or purple collar, loose blue trousers, embroidered shoes, silver bracelets, and earrings. Unmarried women wear a single pigtail on the top of their head, while married women roll their hair. The men wear white jackets, black-collared coats, and dark loose shorts. Their headwear and costume reflect the Bai symbols: the snow, the moon, the flower, and the wind. Many Bai women style their hair in

616-409: Is an autonomous prefecture of northwestern Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. between longitudes 98°52′ to 101°03′ east and latitudes 24°41′ to 26°42′ north, it has a subtropical plateau monsoon climate with distinct dry and wet seasons. Most areas do not experience extreme heat in summer or severe cold in winter, covering a total area of 29,459 square kilometers. By the end of 2023,

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672-442: Is bitter, Second is sweet, Third brings reflection (aftertaste)). The first tea course starts with baking the tea leaves in a clay pot over a small flame, shaking the leaves often while they bake. When they turn slightly brown and give off a distinct fragrance, heated water is added to the pot. The water should immediately begin bubbling. When the bubbling ceases, a small amount of bitterly fragrant, concentrated tea remains. Due to

728-424: Is extensively utilised in Bai apparel, everyday items, traditional folklore, religious ceremonies, and national celebrations. The primary stages of tie-dyeing consist of flower tying and dyeing, with the essential techniques being the twisting and tying approach along with the dyeing process. The essence of the technique is in the dying method and the proficiency in dyeing. The primary instruments for tie-dyeing include

784-715: Is located in a depression at the southern end of the Yun Mountains , part of the greater Hengduan Mountains at the southeast edge of the Tibetan Plateau . This depression, an extension of the Red River Fault , is filled by Erhai , a lake that is part of the Mekong River basin. The old town of Dali is located on a plain between Erhai on the east and the Cang Mountains to the west. Dali

840-531: Is served by local public transit buses in Dali City connecting with Xiaguan . The town also has some long-distance bus services that run to Kunming and Lijiang . Highway 214 runs through the town, eventually connecting with Tibet Autonomous Region in the north and Xishuangbanna in the south. The nearest train station and airport are both in Xiaguan. Dali has been dramatically changed by tourism since

896-451: Is then offered to the guest. This tea is sweet without being oily, so the guest can easily drink it. The third tea is made by mixing honey, Sichuan pepper , slices of ginger, and cassia together in a china cup with hot Cangshan Xue green tea. The product is a tea that is sweet, coarse and spicy all at once. This Dali specialty has a noticeable aftertaste, which meant it was known as Hui Wei Cha 回味茶 (Reflection Tea). The 18 procedures of

952-695: The Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province , Bijie area of Guizhou Province , and Sangzhi area of Hunan Province . The Bai constitute one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by China , with a population of 2,091,543 ( as of 2020 ). The Bai people hold the colour white in high esteem and call themselves "Baipzix" ( pɛ˦˨ tsi˧ , Baizi, 白子), "Bai'ho" ( pɛ˦˨ xo˦ , Baihuo, 白伙), "Bai yinl" ( pɛ˦˨ ji˨˩ , Baini, 白尼), or "Miep jiax". Bai means "white" in Chinese. Because of their strong preference for white, in 1956

1008-605: The Tibetans and Nakhi , convene from across the globe in ceremonial clothing with their horses to engage in horse-racing. The Bai tea ceremony , San Dao Cha 三道茶 (Three Course Tea), is most popular among the Bai in the Dali area and is a common sight at festivals and marriages. It is both a cultural ceremony and a method of honouring a guest. The ceremony is often described in Mandarin as 'Yiku, Ertian, sanhuiwei' 一苦二甜三回味 (First

1064-558: The "Kunming" tribe, and "a few years later, they also annexed the land of Kunming." Four counties, Ye Yu (叶榆), Yunnan (云南), Xielong (邪龙), and Bisu (比苏), were established in the Dali region, under the jurisdiction of Yizhou Prefecture, and since then, the Dali region was officially incorporated into the territory of the Han dynasty. During the Eastern Han period, the Dali region was under the jurisdiction of Yongchang (永昌郡) Prefecture, with

1120-503: The "Shu-Sindu Road" and the " Tea Horse Road ," and now is planned by Yunnan Province as the central city of Western Yunnan, a regional transportation hub , and the logistics center of Western Yunnan. The Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture boasts more than 130 scenic spots and historical sites, including the Buddhist holy land of Mount Jizu , the famous Taoist mountain of Weibaoshan , the magnificent stone carvings of Shibaoshan , and

1176-643: The 'Bo (or Bai) People'. Assuming the Bo transcription is correct, the earliest mention of the Bai was in the third century BCE in a text called Lüshi Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü Buwei). They were mentioned again in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian in the first century BCE. The Bai were one of the tribes that helped establish Nanzhao (649–902). In 937, the Dali Kingdom

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1232-493: The 25th day of the sixth lunar month to wish health and a good harvest. On that evening, the countryside is decorated with banners with auspicious words written upon them. Villagers then light torches in front of their gates and walk around the fields while holding yet more torches in order to catch pests. Horse racing is a customary practice of the Bai people, conducted not only during the Third Month Fair but also at

1288-630: The Bai and Black Man of the Dali Kingdom, and captured the King of Dali, Duan Xingzhi, in Kunze (昆泽) (now Yiliang ), and the Dali Kingdom fell. Ethnic groups in Dali, 2000 census In addition to the national public holidays observed throughout China , Dali prefecture has local public holidays. Residents get three days off, from the 15th to the 17th day of the third month of the Chinese calendar , for

1344-706: The Bai ate cheese and made it from either cow or goat milk. The leftover whey from the process of cheese-making was fed to pigs. Those who lived around Erhai Lake fished. Bai fishermen have trained cormorants to fish since the 9th century. Lower water quality and high costs of cormorant training have resulted in recent disuse of the practice, though cormorant fishing is still done by local fishers today for tourists. The Bai people enjoy sour, cold and spicy flavours and excel in preparing delicacies such as cured gammon , bowfish ( Zacco taliensis ), river snails sauce, fried termite mushrooms ( Termitomyces ) and pork liver. The Bai people of Dali and surrounding regions enjoy

1400-616: The Chinese authorities named this ethnic group the Bai nationality. The Bai were previously named the Minjia (民家) by the Chinese from the 14th century to 1949. The Bai people are one of the most sinicized minorities in China. Although the Bai are technically one of China's 56 official ethnic groups, it is difficult to qualify them as a distinct ethnic minority. As early as the 1940s, some rejected their non-Chinese origin and preferred to identify themselves solely as Chinese. The Bai ethnic label

1456-652: The Dali Kingdom. The Yuan dynasty established Yunnan Province , created administrative districts in the Erhai region, and retained the Duan Family, the former rulers of Dali, to oversee the region. In 1381, the Ming dynasty army defeated the Yuan forces, deposed the former ruler of Dali, instituted Dali Prefecture, and subsequently migrated to the Dali region to cultivate the land. As of 2004, only Bai people who lived in

1512-728: The Dayining Kingdom (大义宁国), and established the Dali Kingdom . In the first year of the Baoyou era of the Southern Song dynasty (1253 AD), Kublai Khan led the central road army, crossed the Dadu River , "traveled through the mountains and valleys for more than 2000 miles," passing through present-day Yanyuan and Yongsheng , and directly reached the Jinsha River , "crossing by leather bags and rafts," arriving in

1568-531: The Han. The Western Han dynasty established the Yizhou Prefecture in the area ruled by the "King of Dian." In the same year, the Han dynasty sent Guo Chang (郭昌) and Wei Guang (卫广) to attack the " Kunming " tribe in the Dali region that had obstructed the Han envoys. In the fourth year of the Yuanfeng era (107 BC) and the sixth year of the Yuanfeng era (105 BC), Guo Chang led troops twice more to attack

1624-909: The Jin dynasty divided the four prefectures established by the Shu Han in Nan Zhong, establishing Ning State (宁州). During the Southern dynasties , as the Central Plains were in a situation of feudal division, Yunnan was successively ruled by the Song , Southern Qi , Liang , Northern Wei , Western Wei , and Northern Zhou dynasties. In the fifth year of the Kai Huang era of the Sui dynasty (585 AD), Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian , dispatched Wei Chong as

1680-759: The Min-kia [minjia 民家]), said that many travelers regarded them as an absorbed people hardly to be distinguished from Han Chinese. The Bai predominantly reside in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture , Yunnan Province , as well as in Gucheng District and Yulong County of Lijiang City , Nanhua County of Chuxiong Prefecture , Xishan District , Wuhua District , and Anning City (Taiping Town) of Kunming City , Lushui County of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture , Longyang District of Baoshan City , Fengqing County of Lincang City , and portions of Zhenxiong County of Zhaotong City . The Bai also constitute

1736-937: The Mule-and-Horse Meeting in Jianchuan in July, the Fish Pone Meeting in Eryuan and Dengchuan in August, and in several villages. The origins of Bai horse racing date back over a millennium to the Tang Dynasty , coinciding with the introduction of Buddhism to Nanzhao . The Guanyin Temple Fair, conducted at the base of Cang Mountain in March of the lunar calendar, has progressively transformed into

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1792-432: The Third Month Fair and associated commercial activities. Initially, the market primarily focused on the exchange of medical herbs and cattle. To further their business, horse sellers arranged horse-riding competitions at the market to showcase the strength and speed of the horses. Horse racing has consequently become a significant aspect of Third Month Fair. Annually, during the festival, the Bai and other ethnic groups, like

1848-697: The Thousand Search Pagoda at Chongsheng Temple , Fengyi North Tangtian Fazang Temple , the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, and the Fotu Temple have yielded various Buddhist texts, including the Diamond Sutra , Lotus Sutra , and Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras , among others. Although most Bai people adhere to Azhaliism , a form of Buddhism that traces its history back to the Nanzhao Kingdom , they also practice

1904-548: The Western Erhai River, "by imperial authority, established eight prefectures and seventeen counties, and appointed their leaders as chiefs and governors." From the eighth year of Tianbao (749 AD) to the thirteenth year of Tianbao (754 AD), the " An Lushan rebellion " broke out between the Tang and Nanzhao dynasties. In the following 40 years, Nanzhao continued to expand outward, expanding its territory and establishing

1960-750: The ancestors of ethnic minorities such as the Bai people and Yi people and thrived here. During the Tang and Song dynasties, local governments such as the " Kingdom of Nanzhao " and the " Kingdom of Dali " emerged. In 1956, the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture was established. The capital, Dali City, is the intersection of the Yunnan- Burma Road and the Yunnan- Tibet Road , historically an important transit point for

2016-552: The dyeing jar, dyeing stick, sun rack, and stone mill. Zhoucheng, Dali ( Chinese : 大理周城 ) offers a diverse array of tie-dye items, featuring over 1,000 distinct patterns characterised by a broad spectrum of themes and profound meanings. The Bai people, as their name would suggest, favor white clothes and decorations. Women generally wear white dresses, sleeveless jackets of red, blue, or black, embroidered belts, loose trousers, embroidered shoes of white cloth, and jewelry made of gold or silver. Women in Dali traditionally wear

2072-560: The foot of Mount Cang in Dali between the fifteenth and twentieth days of the third lunar month. Originally, it was a religious activity to rally and pay homage, but it gradually evolved into a fair that included performances of traditional sports and dance as well as the trade of merchandise from different regions. The second festival is the Shibaoshan Song Festival, and the third is the Torch Festival , held on

2128-722: The four counties of Ye Yu, Xilong, Yunnan, and Bisu established during the Western Han period remaining unchanged, and a new county, Bo Nan (now Yongping County ), was added. During the Three Kingdoms period , what is now Yunnan , Guizhou , and the southwestern part of Sichuan were known as Nan Zhong and were part of the Shu Kingdom . In the seventh year of the Tai Kai era of the Western Jin dynasty (271 AD),

2184-399: The governor of Nan Ning (南宁州) State, and established Gongzhou (恭州), Xiezhou (协州), and Kunzhou (昆州) in Yunnan. In the fourth year of the Wu De era of the Tang dynasty (621 AD), the Tang sent envoys to the Erhai region to appease the various tribes of the "Kunming" Man. In the seventh year of Wu De (624 AD), the chief commander of the prefecture, Wei Renshou, (韦仁寿) led five hundred soldiers to

2240-515: The groups of people who were assimilated. According to archaeological excavations around Lake Erhai, the Bai people may have originated in the area around the lake. The earliest human site, discovered in the early 20th century, was called the paleolithic Malong relics of Mt. Cangshan (苍山马龙遗址), dated circa 4000 BP . The late sites include Haimenkou of Jianchuan (剑川海门口, 3000 BP), Baiyangcun of Binchuan (宾川白羊村, 3500 BP), and Dabona of Xiangyun (祥云大波那, 2350 BP). The Bai are mentioned in Tang dynasty texts as

2296-635: The mid-2000s, when a number of bed-and-breakfast began to open to cater to domestic and foreign tourists. Subsequent to the discovery of pollution in Erhai lake and a visit from Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi Jinping , inns within twenty meters of the lakeside were closed and in some cases demolished, in order to prevent sewage from leaking into the lake. Bai people The Bai / Pai ( Bai : Baipho, /pɛ̰˦˨xo̰˦/ (白和); Chinese : 白族 ; pinyin : Báizú ; Wade–Giles : Pai²-tsu² ; endonym pronounced [pɛ̀tsī] ), are an East Asian ethnic group native to

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2352-501: The mountains spoke Bai as their only language, but some Han Chinese in Dali also spoke Bai due to local influence. Among modern Bai people, Chinese is usually used for popular media such as radio, television, and news, while Bai is relegated to folk-arts related activities. No book in the Bai language has been published as of 2005. The origins of the language have been obscured by many years of intensive Chinese influence. Several theories have been proposed, including categorizing it as

2408-415: The official language. The habits of the Bai people in the Dali region closely resemble those of conventional Han Chinese culture. They are profoundly impacted by Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Most Bai people adhere to a form of Buddhism known as Azhaliism . Historically, the Dali Kingdom was the first Buddhist nation in Yunnan, excluding the Tibetan people in northwestern Yunnan. Buddhism

2464-517: The period between 823 and 840 AD, are recognized as significant architectural landmarks attributed to the Bai people. The central pagoda, standing at a height surpassing 70 meters in Dali, ranks among the tallest structures of similar kind in China, highlighting the architectural achievements associated with the Bai community. Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture ( Chinese : 大理白族自治州 ; pinyin : Dàlǐ Báizú Zìzhìzhōu ; Bai : Darl•lit Baif•cuf zirl•zirl•zox )

2520-404: The permanent population of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture was 3.342 million people. As of March 2023, the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture governed one county-level city and 11 counties , with 110 townships , and the People's Government of the Autonomous Prefecture is based in Xiaguan , Dali City. The Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture has a long history. As far back as the Neolithic Age,

2576-403: The plateau pearl of Erhai Lake . The Cangshan and Erhai are national-level scenic spots, and "Cangshan Nature and the Cultural Relics of Nanzhao " are dual national natural and cultural heritages. In 2022, the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture achieved a regional gross domestic product (GDP) of 169.96 billion yuan, growing by 2.4% compared to the previous year. In the twenty-sixth year of

2632-421: The reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (221 BC), the Dali region was incorporated into the unified feudal state of the Qin dynasty . In the second year of the Yuanfeng (元封) era of the Han dynasty (109 BC), the Western Han dynasty dispatched tens of thousands of soldiers from Ba and Shu to attack the Laojin (劳浸) and Mimu (靡莫) tribes, "advancing with troops to Dian," (以兵临滇) where the "King of Dian" (滇王）submitted to

2688-405: The sound the hot water makes when it enters the clay pot, the first course tea was, in previous times, also known as Lei Xiang Cha 雷响茶 (Sound of Thunder Tea). The second course is sweet tea. Pieces of walnut kernel and roasted rushan (乳扇, lit. milk fan ), a dried cheese specific to the Dali region, are put into a tea cup with brown sugar and other ingredients. Boiling water is added and the tea

2744-535: The structural layout but also the intricate decorative elements that are characteristic of Bai architecture. The Bai homes, with their white walls, hexagonal tile patterns, colorful paintings, and elaborate decorations like carved wooden doors, exemplify the attention to detail and artistic flair that define Bai architectural aesthetics. The village of Xizhou is known for its preservation of Qing Dynasty-era Bai homes, with some of these structures repurposed into museums. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, dating back to

2800-557: The tea ceremony are governed by strict etiquette, which follows the principles of etiquette, honesty, and beauty. As such, the tea ceremony is considered by some to perfectly embody the hospitable Bai people's current customs. The Bai people have developed and preserved three distinctive architectural styles that reflect their unique traditions and craftsmanship. These styles include the "one house with two cottages," "three rooms and one wall screening," and "four houses and five courtyards." Each of these architectural designs showcases not only

2856-455: The territory of Lijiang today. Kublai Khan led his troops to capture Jianchuan and Heqing , and pressed on to Dali City from Shangguan. The city was broken, the Prime Minister of Dali, Gao Xiang (高祥), was killed, and the King of Dali, Duan Xingzhi (段兴智), fled to the Dian Lake area. In the second year of Baoyou (1254 AD), Uriangqada continued to march, successively pacifying the five cities, eight prefectures, four counties, and 37 departments of

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2912-444: Was brought to the Bai people as early as the 8th century. The Bai people once practiced Mahayana Tantric Buddhism. After Wu Sangui 's Three Clans Rebellion , it was decisively quelled by the Qing Dynasty . Subsequently, the Buddhist beliefs of the Bai people were coercively supplanted by Chinese Hinayana Buddhism . Furthermore, the Bai people exhibit a strong interest in transcribing Buddhist scriptures. Notable locations such as

2968-434: Was founded by Duan Siping , a Bai man whose family had played a major role in the Nanzhao Kingdom, advocated for the "relief of corvée" ( Chinese : 宽徭役 ) and joined 37 tribes in eastern Yunnan to instigate a rebellion. The Dali Kingdom persisted for about 300 years (937-1253), facilitating the Bai's establishment of internal cohesion centered around the Erhai Lake . In 1253, the Mongols led by Kublai Khan conquered

3024-401: Was not considered a tragedy. Most Bai are agriculturalists. They cultivate many crops like rice, wheat, rapeseed, sugar, millet, cotton, cane, corn, and tobacco. However, some Bai also engage in fishing and selling local handicrafts to tourists. Most Bai were subsistence rice farmers, but they also cultivated wheat, vegetables, and fruits. Unlike the Han and most other Chinese minority groups,

3080-542: Was not widely used or known until 1958. Today, the Bai people accept minority status for pragmatic reasons; however, they are culturally nearly indistinguishable from Han Chinese. One prerequisite for creating a hybrid form of Chinese would be a unique cultural identity, distinct from the Han, but the Bai people have been said by the sinologist Charles Patrick Fitzgerald to have held no ‘strong national feeling’ even before 1949. Hence, Fitzgerald, author of an authoritative study on Bai (whom he called by their former Chinese name,

3136-470: Was the most accurate out of all the tribes in the area. Scriptures from Nanzhao unearthed in 1950s show that they were written in the Bai language (similar to Chữ Nôm and the Old Zhuang script ) but it does not seem Nanzhao ever attempted to standardize or popularize the script. The same was true for its successor, the Dali Kingdom . During the Ming dynasty , the government began offering state examinations in Yunnan , which solidified Classical Chinese as

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