The Yao nationality (its great majority branch is also known as Mien; 瑶族; Vietnamese: người Dao) is a government classification for various minorities in China. They form one of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where they reside in the mountainous terrain of the southwest and south. Their main habitats are Hunan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou, and Jiangxi together with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Prefecture. They also form one of the 54 ethnic groups officially recognized by Vietnam. In the last census in 2000, they numbered 2,637,421 in China, and roughly 470,000 in Vietnam.
They are divided into several branches, such as Baiku Yao (people who wear white trousers), Hong Yao (people who favor red clothes), and so on.
Similar to the other 54 ethnic groups of China, they have their unique religious and cultural characteristics.
Their language belongs to the Miao-Yao sub-group of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Most people speak the Yao language, some speak a language similar to the Miao language, and a few even use the Zhuang and Dong languages. They can also speak Han and Zhuang languages.
They are master at handicrafts. These crafts not only come in many variations, but also have special meanings. The ones they are most proud of are batik, sculpture, painting, and printing and dying. (Source - China Travel Guide)
On June 29, 2015, more than 1,000 Hong Yao people in Longsheng county, west China’s Guangxi, celebrate traditional Red Clothes Festival, during which they dance, sing, and hold embroidery competition, attracting lots of tourists. (CNS/Pan Zhixiang)
(Photos /Xinhua)
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