Who are the Southeastern Yi?

The "Southeastern Yi" title is somewhat artificial. The Southeastern Yi are grouped together more by geographical location than language affinity. While it may be true that certain languages such as the Axi and Sani have many similarities, on the whole, Chinese linguists consistently report astonishing differences between the languages of individual peoples classified as "Yi" in this region of Yunnan.

Those peoples grouped together as Southeastern Yi claim many different ethnic backgrounds. They certainly are not one group of people that have developed their own identities from their geopgraphical isolation. The 19 distinct tribes that comprise the Southeastern Yi have always been distinct groups so far as anyone knows.

The Southeastern Yi are found mainly in northern and western Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. They also spill over into Yuxi, Wenshan, and Qujing Prefectures and northern Vietnam.

More Southeastern Yi information

To get more information about the people groups that make up the southeastern Yi, go to the profiles of the Southeastern Yi.