Pumi

The Pumi (also Primi) people (Chinese: 普米� Pǔm�zú, own name: /ph�ẽmi/) are an ethnic group. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. more...

Ethnically related to the Qiang, their population of 30,000 is found mainly in Yunnan and Sichuan, notably in the counties of Lanping, Lijiang, Weixi and Yongsheng, and Yi Autonomous County of Ninglang, many of them are located at elevations above 9,000 feet. Those in Sichuan are found in the Tibetan Autonomous County of Muli and Yanyuan.

Script

The Pumi language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family. In the past, it was noted that the Pumi in the Muli and Ninglang areas used Tibetan characters mainly for religious purposes, although gradually the Tibetan characters fell into disuse and oblivion. Modern Pumi use the Chinese and Roman scripts instead.

History

The Pumi have the longest traceable migration path of any minority group in China. Originally nomads inhabiting the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, they later moved to the warmer areas along valleys within the Hengduan Mountain Range in the 4th century B.C.

Subsequently, they moved to Northern Sichuan in the 7th century, and subsequently to northwest Yunnan in the 14th century. Many of them settled down to become farmers, and local landlords dominated the Pumi economy the in Lanping and Lijiang counties. Except for a small number of common areas, the landlords large areas of lands and collected rental fees from the peasants. This accounted for at least 50 per cent of the harvest. Pumi landlords and Nakhi chiefs also traded domestic slaves.

With the coming of the Cultural Revolution, these traditional landlords eventually lost their power and position as modern facilities, such as hospitals and factories, are introduced to the local people.

Religion

Since they had severed much contact with the Tibetans since ancient times, along with some Buddhist influence, the Pumi had largely practiced Animism and ancestor worship, a religion locally known as Zanbala.

However, through the efforts of Tibetan Buddhist missionaries from Tibet, a significant proportion have adopted the Gelugpa and Kagyu lineage of Lamaism, much of whom are those in Sichuan.

The Zanbala religion, also locally known as Dingba, literally means white earth. It is noted that the Pumi around Ninglang still install Zanbala altars in their home, which were worshipped by the older generations. The Zanbala religion consists of the veneration of three gods and ancestral spirits, in which only the old men preside the rituals and prayers.

Almost all Pumi villages have their own local mountain gods, which are worshipped during festive seasons. On those days, the entire family will give food offerings and pray for the good health and prosperity of the family. On the 15th day of each month, the minor mountain god is worshipped, and a grand ceremony is held on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month to venerate the Great Mountain God.

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