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Group deems white status sign
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“Bai” means white in Chinese, and it also is the name of an ethnic group based in western China. And the color white, signifying high social status and dignity, is a favorite color among the people.
The Bai ethnic group, with a population of 1,858,063, mostly live in the Dali Bai Autonomous County of Yunnan Province, with the rest found mostly in nearby provinces like Sichuan and Guizhou.
The Bai language derives from the Tibetan-Myanmese group of the Chinese-Tibetan language family. Yet the language contains quite a number of Chinese words because of the Bai’s long contact with the Han.
Archeological findings suggest that the Erhai area (where most Bai people live) was inhabited as early as the Neolithic Age. The people started developed close ties with the Han majority as early as the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-AD 220) dynasties.
A large number of Han people moved to the border area during the Han Dynasty, and brought advanced production techniques and tools.
Two kingdoms existed in the region, both closely connected with the central court of the Han. They were the Nanzhao regime in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Dali Kingdom in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The Dali Kingdom was conquered by the Mongols in the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) and thus became a prefecture of Yunnan province.
The Bai people favor the color white, as it signifies a high social status as well as dignity. Typically, white is seen somewhere on the clothing of a Bai person. Traditionally, men often wear a white outer layer and white pants. Women tend to wear more colorful clothing than men, but the color white is always an element of their outfit. Most Bai females traditionally wear a white, pink or light blue outer layer and a dark pink, purple or pink waistcoat.
Most Bai women wear a headscarf shaped liked a crescent. It represents a flower in the wind and the moon on a snowy evening. The top part of the scarf is white while the lower part of the scarf is embroidered with flowers. The end of the scarf is draped over one shoulder and sways with the wind.
Rice, flour and corn are the staple foods of the Bai people. Bai people like pork, which are cooked in various ways, including ham, sausage, smoked pig liver and intestines. Dali shengpi (Dali raw skin) is a special cuisine of the Bai people. The skin is peeled when a baked pig is half done, and the pork is baked again until the color turns gold. The pork is sliced and served with seasonings.
Bai women are good at making pickles and sauces. Common sauces include bean sauce, lobster sauce and flour sauce. Diao mei (carved plum), a pickle snack of plum cut into a flower shape, is used as a way to show women’s clever hands in some Bai villages.
Beef, fish and vegetables are also common foods.
Many Bai people drink tea twice a day, with the morning tea named “waking tea” and the afternoon tea as “relaxing tea” or “thirst satisfying tea.”
Sandao cha (three-course tea) is often served by Bai people to welcome guests. The host pours tea into each cup three times. The first course is for the guest to smell the aromatic tea, the second one for tasting, while the third pour for drinking.
The Bai people are good at architecture, sculpture, painting, music and other craft techniques. The Three Pagodas at Chongsheng Temple in Dali is one of the best-known architectures of the Bai people. The 16-story tower, 60 meters high, was built during the Tang Dynasty. It resembles the Dayan Pagoda in Xi’an in Shaanxi Province.
The Bai people like singing and dancing. The Lion Dance created during the Nanzhao regime was popular in the central plains during the Tang Dynasty. Bai opera, known as chuichui, is an art form combining folk music and dancing. It has also absorbed some of the characteristics of Han operas.
Most Bai people believe in Buddhism, while some worship their village god (Benzhu), Nature god, the Prince of the Nanzhao regime, or even a hero of folklore.
The March Fair that falls from the 15th to 20th day of the third month in the lunar calendar is a grand festival of the Bai. It was originally a religious activity to rally and pay homage, and gradually developed into a fair for sporting contests and theatrical performances. Horse-racing, the swing and leap frog are also popular.
The Torch Festival on the 25th day of the sixth month in the lunar calendar is also a big day for the Bai. Torches are lit as a wish for a good harvest and good health and fortune. Villagers walk with torches to drive away evil spirits.
Population: 1,858,063
Distribution: Dali Bai Autonomous County of Yunnan Province, Sichuan and Guizhou
Language: Bai language
Religion: Buddhism, Nature God
Food: Pork, pickles and tea
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