Pictures of Chinese people - 56 ethnic groups

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Va people 佤族



Va people 佤族, numbered about 400,000 living in China and 800,000 living in Myanmar, are officially recognized ethnic group by both countries. In China, the Va live in compact communities in the Ximeng 西盟, Cangyuan 沧源, Menglian 孟连, Gengma 耿马, Lincang 临沧, Shauangjiang 双江, Zhenkan 镇康 and Yongde 永德 counties in SW Yunnan, between Lancang River and Nujiang. In Myanmar they live mainly in northern Burma, in the northern part of Shan State and the eastern part of Kachin State, near and along Burma's border with China. Their de facto capital is Pangkham in the unofficial Wa State in northeastern Shan State. The Va have formed the Wa State in Myanmar, with the United Wa State Army (UWSA), based on the remains of the former Burmese Communist Party rebel group that collapsed in 1989. They have been accused by Western governments of involvement in drug trafficking but have banned opium production since 2005 and have received United Nations aid in improving legitimate agriculture.

The Va language belongs to the Palaungic branch of the Austroasiatic language family. In China, a written language was created for the Va people in 1956. Prior that they had no written language, and they kept records and accounting or passed messages with material objects or by engraving bamboo strips. Each strip ranged from half an inch to an inch in width. Objects used implied specific meaning or feelings. The Va believe in nature phenomenons and they have deities for natural objects like mountains, water or rocks.


Official picture of a Va family

Distribution of Va people (deep red), mostly along the border of China and Myanmar, with about 800,000 live in Myanmar and about 400,000 on the other side of the border in China. They're basically the same people with different nationalities.

Ancient rock drawings of the Va in this area

A tree trunk inscription of Va daily lives

A giant Va drum made from a giant tree trunk displays in the town center. Every Va village has at least one of these drums, albeit smaller, for all festivities.

The port cross between Ruili (China) and Muse (Myanmar) adjacent cities.

An out of the way wooden bridge crosses the border river to Pangkham 邦康 Myanmar

The Va worship the skulls of cows and a village that has more skull represents more wealth

 

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Va people 佤族


The Burma Road 滇缅公路 is 717 miles (1,154 km) long and runs through rough mountain country. The sections from Kunming to the Burmese border were built by 200,000 Burmese and Chinese laborers during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 and completed by 1938. Most laborers were older men, women and young kids because all the young men from this area went to war with the Japanese. With no modern machinery on these dangerous mountainous environments, thousands perished and many of them were Va people since they lived, and still are, nearby this section of the road.


A picture of 24 bends section of the Burma Road in the late 40s

Same view today

Lives of the Va people along the Burma Road today

 

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Va people 佤族


Picture of Va people in ethnic clothes

The Va love their alcohol and is very common for two people to sit down to have a drink or two.

 

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Va people 佤族


On "Touch You Black" 摸你黑 day literally thousands of Va, young and old, flock to the streets to participate and dance

Thank the good lord for the shower

 

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Va people 佤族


A mysterious Va village in Yongde 永德 Yunnan

 

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Va people 佤族


On a Va's dinner table - home made alcohol is must

Tea is very important part of Va's daily lives and they're very serious on serving tea

Mother and daughter taking meticulous care on preparing the rice

Thin rice with chicken

Deep fried spare ribs

Spicy fish with bird's eggs

Crispy fried pork skin

 

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Va people 佤族


Sports and activities for the Va people

 

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Va people 佤族


Villages and people

 

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Va people 佤族


A drummer lighting up

Drummers

Little drums

Big drum

Different sizes drums

Va Guitar

Very innovative

Let's dance

 

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Va people 佤族


The symbol of wealth and power for the Va

They do slaughter the cow here (too bloody to post)

 

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Nakhi people 纳西族


Nakhi people (or Naxi) 纳西族, numbered about 320,000 and an official recognized ethnic group in China, are inhabitants of the foothills of the Himalayas in the northwestern part of Yunnan Province, as well as the southwestern part of Sichuan Province in China. They are thought to have come originally from Northwestern China, the descendents of Qiang 羌族, migrating south toward Tibetan populated regions, and usually inhabiting the most fertile river-side land, driving the other competing tribes farther up the hillsides onto less fertile land. The Nakhi, along with Bai and Tibetans, traded over the dangerous overland trading links with Lhasa and India, on the so-called Tea and Horse Caravan routes.

The Mosuo people 摩梭, numbered about 40,000, are listed as a subgroup of the Nakhi although both groups are somewhat culturally distinct, whereas the former is matriarchal and the latter is patriarchal. The Mosuo are also known for their ''walking marriage" or "visiting relatives" where there's no traditional marriage per se, so there are no husbands and wives. Children of such relationships are raised by their mothers and the mothers' families. The Mosou are probably the last matriarchy people in the world. Most Mosuo live in the Yongning region and around Lugu Lake, high in the Himalayas.

Nakhi culture is largely its own native Dongba religious, literary and farming practices, influenced by the Confucian roots of Han Chinese history, and also by the group's Tibetan neighbors. Especially in the case of their musical scores, it acts as the foundation of the Nakhi literature. The Nakhi have their own writing, their own distinct language and their own native dress.


An official picture of a Nakhi family

Distribution of Nakhi people in Yunnan

The symbol of Nakhi people. Usual such a sculpture in every Nakhi village

Pictograph of ancient Nakhi characters with Chinese and English meanings

Street sign in Nakhi tourists areas

Ancient Nakhi manuscripts

Ancient Nakhi drawings

An ancient wall mural painting

 

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Nakhi people 纳西族


An old picture of a nakhi man and his kid

A young girl with long hair

The back view of a typical Nakhi woman's dress

A working woman and her baby

A group of women walking and chatting on a local village street

An elderly couple strolling on the cobble stone street of Lijiang Old Town

A fury man

An noble man on ancient clothes

 

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Nakhi people 纳西族


The term Dongba refers to the religious priests, the culture, and script of the Nakhi people. The Dongba, also known as wise men, are believed to be the priests of the Bön religion and they preach harmony between man and nature. Tibetan prayer flags and Taoist offerings can be seen in their rituals. The core of the Dongba religion is based on the belief that both man and nature are two half-brothers born of two mothers and the same father. This creates revenge from heaven, which befalls upon humans who use up too much natural resources.


A Dongba priest

Dongbaism has its own scripts

A Dongba oracle

Dongba symbol

A Dongba paper shop

A Dongba temple

Interior of a Dongba temple

 

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Nakhi people 纳西族


A Nakhi orchestra

Nakhi traditional music instruments

 

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Nakhi people 纳西族


Nakhi's stage dancing performance

Street dancing in Lijiang

To ward off the evils

Circle dance

County fair

Or religious dance