Baima People
Encyclopedia
The Baima people also called Baima Tibetan , is a subgroup of Tibetans living in the southeast of Gansu
province and the northwest of Sichuan
province of China
, especially in Pingwu County
, Jiuzhaigou County
of Sichuan and Wen County
of Gansu.
Like the Songpan (松潘) people of Tibet, Baima people call themselves Bai. Unlike the Tibetan language, the Baima dialect ordinarily does not use a written script, although a hieroglyphic system is used in religious practice. In religion, they still keep ancient nature worship and totem worship, which practices were later influenced by the prehistorical Tibetan religion of Bon (苯教), and in some degree they also believe Buddhism
and Daoism, but there are no temples or lamas (monks). To many of the Baima, the Mountain God is the highest god. The most important religious event for them is Caogai (曹蓋, which means domino in Baima language) dance.
The Baima people are said to be the descendants of Baima Di (白馬氐) and after Songtsän Gampo established the Tibetan empire
they gradually became part of the Tibetan people. The Di
(氐) were an ancient large ethnic group living in west China who were associated with the Qiang
(羌), also called Di Qiang (氐羌). The change from their original Di language probably took place in the 7th century CE. The area Baima people live in is the region that was previously called Jiandi Dao
(湔氐道) before the Tibetan empire was established.
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
province and the northwest of Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
province of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, especially in Pingwu County
Pingwu County
Pingwu County is a county in Mianyang, Sichuan province, China.It has an area of 5959.71 square kilometers and a population of 190,000 in 2004.-Administrative divisions:Pingwu County has 9 towns, 7 townships, and 9 ethnic townships.*Towns:...
, Jiuzhaigou County
Jiuzhaigou County
Jiuzhaigou County is a county of Sichuan Province, China. It is under the administration of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. Formerly called Nanping County , it was renamed in 1998 to reflect the fact that the Jiuzhaigou Valley is located within its administration.The county...
of Sichuan and Wen County
Wen County, Gansu
Wen County is a county in the municipal region of Longnan, GS.Wen has a land area of 4,994 square kilometers, and a population of 240,000 .-Administrative divisions:...
of Gansu.
Like the Songpan (松潘) people of Tibet, Baima people call themselves Bai. Unlike the Tibetan language, the Baima dialect ordinarily does not use a written script, although a hieroglyphic system is used in religious practice. In religion, they still keep ancient nature worship and totem worship, which practices were later influenced by the prehistorical Tibetan religion of Bon (苯教), and in some degree they also believe Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Daoism, but there are no temples or lamas (monks). To many of the Baima, the Mountain God is the highest god. The most important religious event for them is Caogai (曹蓋, which means domino in Baima language) dance.
The Baima people are said to be the descendants of Baima Di (白馬氐) and after Songtsän Gampo established the Tibetan empire
Tibetan Empire
The historic name for the Tibetan Empire is different from Tibet's present name.Traditional Tibetan history preserves a lengthy list of rulers, whose exploits become subject to external verification in the Chinese histories by the seventh century. From the 7th to the 11th century a series of...
they gradually became part of the Tibetan people. The Di
Di (ethnic group)
The Di were an ethnic group in China from the 8th century BCE to approximately the middle of the 6th century CE. Note that the character Di is used to differentiate this group from the Beidi , a generic term for "northern barbarians". They lived in areas of the present-day provinces of Gansu,...
(氐) were an ancient large ethnic group living in west China who were associated with the Qiang
Qiang
The Qiang people are an ethnic group of China. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, with a population of approximately 200,000, living mainly in northwestern part of Sichuan province....
(羌), also called Di Qiang (氐羌). The change from their original Di language probably took place in the 7th century CE. The area Baima people live in is the region that was previously called Jiandi Dao
Jiandi Dao
Jiandi Dao was a prefecture of ancient China located around today's Songpan region, in the east of Qingzang Plateau and northwest part of Sichuan province....
(湔氐道) before the Tibetan empire was established.