Total population | |
---|---|
(92,000) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
China: Yunnan; smaller populations in Burma and Thailand | |
Languages | |
Blang, U | |
Religion | |
Theravada Buddhism, Animist | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Va |
The Blang (布朗族 : Bùlǎng Zú) (also spelled Bulong) people are an ethnic group. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China.
Contents
Names
Yan & Zhou (2012:147)[1] list the following autonyms of ethnic Bulang in various counties.
- plaŋ31 (布朗): in Xishuangbanna
- a55 vaʔ55 (阿佤): in Shuangjiang and Lancang counties
- ʔu33 tɤr11 (乌德尔): some Bulang of Shuangjiang; means 'mountain people'
- ʔu55 (乌): in Yongde (ʔu51 in Gantang 甘塘), Zhenkang, Shidian (ʔu55 in Hazhai 哈寨), Changning counties
- vaʔ55 (佤): in Mojiang County
Exonyms for Bulang include (Yan & Zhou 2012:147):[1]
- mɔn33 (谟): Dai exonym for the Bulang of Xishuangbanna
- a bø55 (阿别): Hani exonym for the Bulang of Xishuangbanna
- la31 (拉): Dai exonym for the Bulang of Shuangjiang
- kha33 phv53 (卡朴): : Lahu exonym for the Bulang
- pa̱ ʔa̱ɯ̱ʔ (巴尔克): Wa exonym for the Bulang of Cangyuan
- Puman (濮曼, 蒲满): Han Chinese exonym for the Bulang
Languages
People classified as Bulang in China speak various Palaungic languages, including Blang and U.
The Blang language belongs to the Palaungic branch of the Austroasiatic language family. Within the Palaungic branch, Blang belongs to the Waic subgroup, which also contains the languages of the Wa and Lawa peoples in addition to Blang. Some Blang also speak the Chinese language and Southwestern Tai languages in addition to Blang. Two systems of writing based on the Latin alphabet have been developed: 'Totham' in the Xishuangbanna and 'Tolek' from Dehong and Lincang.
History
Chinese ethnographers identify the Blang as descendants of an ancient tribe known as the "Pu" (濮), who lived in the Lancang river valley during ancient times. It is believed that these people were one branch of a number of peoples that were collectively known to the ancient Chinese as the Bǎipú (百濮, literally "Hundred Pu").
Culture
Traditionally, the Blang considered teeth blackened by chewing betel nuts a beauty characteristic.
The women usually dress in jackets with black skirts. The men had tattoos in the torso and the stomach. They dressed in wide black trousers and jackets buttoned to the front. Often they would wear turbans of either white or black fabric.
The houses of the Blang are made out of bamboo and usually consist of two floors. The first floor is designed as a warehouse for food and a stable for livestock animals, such as chickens, whereas the second is designed to house the family. The chimney is located in the center of the house.
The Blang are traditionally divided into small clans, with each clan owning its own land. Every Blang town has its own cemeteries, which are divided by clans. The deceased are buried, with the exception of those who perished due to unnatural causes. In this case they are cremated.
Religion
The Blang are traditionally associated with animism, ancestor worship, and Theravada Buddhism. Writing in 2011, James Miller described these overlapping traditions as follows, "The Blang, like many nationalities in southwest China are Theravada Buddhists, but their highly complex religious life is also informed by local beliefs and customs that relate to the traditional ecology, with special attention being paid to rice, water, bees, beeswax, and the various local spirits that are associated with them."[2] An overtly Christian missionary source (i.e., with observations reflecting attempts to convert the Bulang) describes them as "ardent followers of Theravada Buddhism", and offers as an estimate that 80% of the Bulang are "professing Buddhists", with a lower estimate of 35% being "practicing Buddhists".[3]
Distribution
The Bulang are distributed in the following villages of Yunnan province (Tao 2012:16-18).[4] Except for the Bulang of Xishuangbanna, the Bulang of most of these counties speak the U language (Svantesson 1991).[5] Locations from Wang & Zhao (2013:173-179) are also included.[6]
- Menghai County (pop. 30,678; 33% of all ethnic Bulang in China)
- Shuangjiang County (pop. 12,527; 7.9% of all ethnic Bulang in China)
- Yongde County (pop. 6,630)
- Yongkang Township 永康镇: Songgui 送归,[7] Luo'ade 罗阿德, Xiaobaishui 小白水,[8] Luoshuiba 落水坝,[9] Xiamangping 下忙坪,[10] Nanmusuan 南木算,[11] Manghai 忙海,[12] Yatang 鸭塘,[13] Duande 端德村,[6] Mangkuang 忙况村,[6] Reshuitang 热水塘村[6]
- Xiaomengtong Township 小孟统乡: Dazhai 大寨,[14] Hudong 户董,[15] Hewei 河尾,[16] Landizhai 烂地寨,[17] Banpo 半坡[18]
- Mengban Township 勐板乡: Ganzhe 甘蔗, Xiazhai 下寨, Dazhai 大寨, Huangguozhai 黄果寨,[19] Datian 大田,[20] Nandongshan 南董山,[21] Xiahuya 下户丫[22]
- Dashan Township 大山乡: Huwei 户威, Hongshan 红山,[23] Malizhai 麻栗寨, Pahong 怕红[24]
- Dedang Township 德党乡: Qianshandong 钻山洞村,[6] Mangjiantian 忙见田村[6]
- Menggong 勐汞乡, Zhaigang 寨岗乡, Daxueshan 大雪山乡 Townships
- Yun County (pop. 5,741)
- Manghuai Township 忙怀乡: Bangliu 邦六,[25] Gaojingcao 高井槽[26]
- Manwan Township 漫湾镇: Dapingzhang 大平掌,[27] Manjiu 慢旧,[28] Hetaolin 核桃林村[6]
- Maolan Township 茂兰乡: Mao'an 茂岸, Zhanglong 掌龙
- Dazhai Township 大寨乡: Xinhe 新合, Pingzhang 平掌, Dacun 大村, Reshuitang 热水塘
- Yongbao Township 涌宝乡: Shilong 石龙,[29] Langbashan 浪坝山,[30][31] Laolu 老鲁[32]
- Lishu Township 栗树乡: Mangbang 忙蚌,[33] Manlang 慢郎,[34] Xiaobanggan 小邦赶[35]
- Gengma County (pop. 2,957)
- Lincang County (pop. 450)
- Zhenkang County (pop. 452)
- Fengqing County (pop. 1,276)
- Dazhai Township 大寨乡: Dalise 大立色村, Qiongyin 琼英村, Pingzhang 平掌村[6]
- Sanchahe Township 三岔河乡: Shantoutian 山头田村
- Dasi 大寺乡, Yingpan 营盘乡, Fengshan 凤山乡, Luodang 洛党乡 Townships
- Shidian County (pop. 6,712)
- Bailang Township 摆榔乡: Hazhai 哈寨, Upper and lower Mulaoyuanzhai 上下木老元寨, Dazhong Jianshan 大中尖山, Yaoguang 姚光
- Changning County (pop. 1,000+)
- Kasi Township 卡斯乡: Xingu 新谷, Shuanglong 双龙, Yingbaizhai 应百寨, Ergoudi 二沟地
- Gengga Township 更嘎乡: Baicaolin 百草林, Dachushui 大出水
- Lancang County (pop. 6,500)
- Mojiang County (pop. 1,000+)
- Jingxing Township 景星乡: Taihe 太和村
- Jinggu County (pop. 1000+)
- Bi'an Township 碧安乡: Guangmin 光明村
- Mengban Township 勐班乡: Manhai 蛮海村
- Banpo Township 半坡乡: Bandu 班督村
- Simao County
- Zhulin Township 竹林乡: Cizhulin 茨竹林村[50]
References
- ^ a b Yan Qixiang [颜其香] & Zhou Zhizhi [周植志] (2012). Mon-Khmer languages of China and the Austroasiatic family [中国孟高棉语族语言与南亚语系]. Beijing: Social Sciences Academy Press [社会科学文献出版社].
- ^ The Religion and James Miller, 2011, Ecology of the Blang Minority Nationality, posted at The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale, http://fore.research.yale.edu/news/item/the-religion-and-ecology-of-the-blang-minority-nationality/
- ^ http://www.asiaharvest.org (i.e., a Christian Missionary organization) fact sheet as accessed Dec. 2011., http://www.asiaharvest.org/pages/profiles/china/chinaPeoples/B/Bulang%20(B).pdf
- ^ Tao Yuming [陶玉明]. 2012. The Bulang people of China [中国布朗族]. Yinchuan: Ningxia People's Press [宁夏人民出版社].
- ^ Svantesson, Jan-Olof. 1988. "U." In Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area, 11 , no. 1: 64-133.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Wang Xingzhong [王兴中] & Zhao Weihua [赵卫华]. 2013. Geography and multilingualism in Lincang [临沧地理与双语使用]. Kunming: Yunnan People's Press [云南人民出版社]. ISBN 978-7-222-08581-7
- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=101081
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- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=137047
- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=137049
- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=267029
- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=154174
- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=154176
- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=154191
- ^ http://www.ynszxc.gov.cn/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=157649
External links
- http://projekt.ht.lu.se/rwaai RWAAI (Repository and Workspace for Austroasiatic Intangible Heritage)
- http://hdl.handle.net/10050/00-0000-0000-0003-9BBE-B@view Samtao in RWAAI Digital Archive
- http://hdl.handle.net/10050/00-0000-0000-0003-67B4-3@view U in RWAAI Digital Archive