Jino Ethnic Minority

Jino ethnic minority is one of the 7 endemic ethnic groups with a small population in Yunnan province. Jinuo people speak Jinuo language, but have no script of their own. Without their own written language, Jinuo people used to record by carving on wood or bamboo. 

Distribution of Jino Ethnic Minority

Jinuo people mainly live in Jinoshan Jinuo Ethnic Township of Jinghong city, Xishuangbanna, as well as Mengwang, Mengyang and Menghan in neighboring areas. A few Jinuo people live scattered in Menglun and Xiangming of Mnegla county as well. 

History of Jino Ethnic Minority

The Jinuo people claim to be the descendants of Kongming(孔明). Legend has it that during The Three Kingdoms period, more than 1700 years ago, Kongming(Zhuge Liang) marched here in the south. Some soldiers fell behind and settled. They call themselves “Diuluo(丢落)”, which means an ethnic group that left behind. They are the ancestors of today’s Jinuo ethnic minority. Jinuo people live in bamboo houses, shaped like “Kongming Hat”, unique and delicate. In 1979, China officially established the Jinuo ethnic group as a single minority in China.

Feature of Jino Area

Jinuo area is crisscrossed by numerous rivers and streams, the longest being the Pani and the Small Black rivers. The major crops are upland and wet rice and corn. The famous Pu’er tea grows on Mount Jino. Jinoluoke has a long history of cotton-growing and is abundant in such tropical fruits as bananas and papayas. Elephants and wild oxen roam the dense primeval forests which are also the habitat of monkeys, hornbills and other birds. Jinoluoke is also rich in mineral resources.

Jino Tea Mountain

Jinuo mountain is located in Jinuo township in the east of Jinghong city, 50 kilometers away from downtown, 42 kilometers away from Menglun town of Mengla county in the east and 20 kilometers away from Mengyang in the west. The Jino people call themselves Jinuo or Yanuo, and have lived on Mount Jino for generations. Jinuo people have a long history of tea growing. Jinuo mountain is one of the six major tea mountains of puer tea. More than 18,000 hardworking and brave Jinuo people live there. More than 40 Jinuo villages are distributed in the deep mountains and forests of Jinuo mountain in Xishuangbanna, which are good places to study the social history of Jinuo and enjoy the customs.

Cultural Heritages of Jino Ethnic Minority

Inheritors

Festivals

The grandest traditional festival of Jinuo ethnic minority is Temaoke festival. Temaoke(特懋克), which means celebrating New Year, is a festival held by the Jinuo people to commemorate the creation and use of ironware. 

Jinuo Village

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