Xiaoliangshan Traditional Culture Conservation Area of Yi Ethnic Minority in Yuanmou County, Chuxiong

Xiaoliangshan Traditional Culture Conservation Area of Yi Ethnic Minority in Yuanmou County, Chuxiong
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Chinese Name: 元谋县凉山乡彝族传统文化保护区
English Name: Liangshan Yi Traditional Cultural Ecological Reserveof Yi Ethnic Minority in Yuanmou County, Chuxiong

Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Project 

The Xiaoliangshan Yi Traditional Cultural Ecological Reserve in Yuanmou County is located in the Liangshan Township, named after the Leiying Mountains. The Yi people of Xiaoliangshan refer to themselves as “Nisu” or “Niesu,” while others call them “Liangshan people,” “Barbarians,” “Black Yi,” or “Mansan people.” In written materials, they are generally referred to as “Nosu.” It is estimated that there are currently around 5,000 Nosu people in the entire region of Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Within this area, the Nosu are primarily distributed in Liangshan Township and Yangjie Town in Yuanmou County, as well as Yongxing Township in Yongren County. Among these areas, Liangshan Township in Yuanmou County is one of the most concentrated regions. Within the township, Nosu people are found in the village committees of Shizhe, Nadi, Lengshuiqing, and Dashuijing. Major villages where they reside include Maidiping, Taiyangpo, Damai Chong, Luoshuidong, Guhu Liangzi, Yiqiutian, Batang, Zhangmushu (both large and small), Dapingzi, Jiucunliangzi, Hejiacun, Caojiacun, Baishiyan, Kanjin, Lengshuiqing, Jianshan, Shijiaqing, Douyakou, Dadi, and Xiaopingzi.

Overview of the Reserve

Regarding the origins of the Liangshan Yi people, it is said that their ancestors originally lived in areas around Kunming and Zhaotong. Due to frequent wars, they later moved to the present-day Liangshan Prefecture in Sichuan. However, facing oppression from local chieftains, they migrated from Sichuan to places like Liangshan in Yuanmou. According to the Yuanmou Historical Anthology (1993 edition), “During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1795), Yi people from the Daliang Mountains of Sichuan migrated to the Leiying Mountains.” Based on this, it can be inferred that the Liangshan Yi people have been residing in Yuanmou’s Leiying Mountains for over 260 years.

Cremation

The Nosu Yi people of Liangshan have long lived in the cold mountainous areas, residing in scattered locations and having limited interaction with the outside world. Marriages are usually confined within their own ethnic group. Their society has been characterized by a self-sufficient natural economy for a long time. Even though they entered the feudal society before the liberation, their long-term isolated lifestyle created a relatively closed socio-cultural circle. Therefore, they still retain traditional ethnic cultural elements, including material production culture, material life culture, life ceremony culture, religious rituals, family branches (clans), social hierarchy, feuds and family culture, festival culture, folk entertainment and sports culture, language and script, ethnic folk literature, and customary law and etiquette culture. The establishment of the Yi Traditional Cultural Ecological Reserve in Liangshan Township, Yuanmou County, holds significant value for the investigation, protection, rescue, development, and utilization of ethnic literature and culture.

List of National, Provincial, and Prefectural Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Projects and Inheritors in Yuanmou County

I. Representative Projects:

  1. National Level (1 item): Yuanmou Huadeng Opera
  2. Provincial Level (6 items):
    • Yi epic “Alu Jure”
    • Yi wrestling
    • Liangshan Yi Traditional Cultural Ecological Reserve
    • Lisu folk songs
    • Yuanmou Pao Guo (fruit steeping) techniques
    • Yi felt-making techniques
  3. Prefectural Level (14 items):
    • Yi Broadsword Dance
    • Lisu stone-slab house construction techniques
    • Hong Yi ethnic clothing making techniques
    • Yuanmou cold chicken preparation techniques
    • Yuanmou roasted piglet preparation techniques
    • Traditional red sugar pressing techniques
    • Deep-fried tofu preparation techniques
    • Lisu chopped chicken preparation techniques
    • Yi spiced pork belly preparation techniques
    • The Legend of the Living Buddha’s Mother
    • Traditional noodle and pastry making techniques (Qiao cake preparation techniques)
    • Rice noodle cooking techniques (Yuanmou rice noodle making techniques)
    • Dongjing music (Yuanmou Dongjing music)
    • Alcohol preparation techniques (Lisu rice wine brewing techniques)
    • Yuanmou Huadeng Opera – a recognized hometown of lantern opera

II. Representative Inheritors:

  1. National Level (1 person):
    • Yuanmou Huadeng Opera: Chen Shenhui
  2. Provincial Level (11 persons, 4 deceased, 6 currently alive):
    • Yuanmou Huadeng Opera: Chen Jiashou (deceased), Li Zhenggui (deceased), Ma Guangzhi, Chen Wuzhong
    • Yi epic “Alu Jure”: He Xueyou (deceased), Hai Wencai, He Guangqing
    • Yi wrestling: Pu Jinliang
    • Yuanmou bamboo weaving artist: Wang Liangcheng (deceased)
    • Yi clothing: Yu Jincui (deceased)
    • Meige (Yi folk songs): Li Guiqiong
  3. Prefectural Level (35 persons, 2 deceased, 1 disqualified, 32 currently alive):
    • Yuanmou Huadeng Opera: Che Jiazheng (deceased), Pu Xude (deceased), Zhang Chunliang, Wen Fen, Pu Xujin, Shi Zengna, Si Liqiong
    • Yi epic “Alu Jure”: Xiao Jianhong, An Baofa, Xiao Yuhua, He Huicai, Yang Zhenghe, Yu Shaofang (disqualified)
    • Yuanmou County Liangshan Township Yi Traditional Cultural Reserve: An Guocai, Li Meilan, Yang Wenxiang
    • Yi wrestling: He Jianzhong, Liu Wenzhong
    • Yi Broadsword Dance: Zhang Yinglong, Zhang Yingcai, Zhang Yingliang, Zhang Yingming, Pu Zhongguang
    • Lisu stone-slab house construction techniques: Li Zhaoming, Yang Songping, Li Rongzhi
    • Lisu ancient songs: Luo Huiyuan, Qi Lianzhen, Bai Jihui
    • Hong Yi ethnic clothing making techniques: Yang Junhui, Liu Jianying, Li Meiying, Yang Conglian
    • Yi felt-making techniques: Zhang Yuguai
    • Yi Torch Festival: Zhu Yingxiong

Currently, the county has a total of 37 intangible cultural heritage projects (1 national, 6 provincial, 15 prefectural, and 15 county-level). There are a total of 286 recognized inheritors of intangible cultural heritage (1 national, 11 provincial, 35 prefectural, and 239 county-level). These figures include those who have passed away and those who have been disqualified.

The county has established 28 intangible cultural heritage transmission centers and 2 prefectural-level intangible cultural heritage workshops.