Brief Introducation of Pumi Ethnic Group
The Pumi nationality is one of the minority nationalities in China, and the population of it is 29657. It mainly inhabits the Laojun Mountain of Huaping in the Northwestern Plateau and at the foot of the Yak Mountain of Ninglang in Yunnan. A small number scatters over Lijiang, Yongsheng, Weixi, Zhongdian and Yanyuan, Muli in Sichuan, and lives together with the Hans, Naxis, Bais and Yis.
The Pumis call themselves “Puyingmi”, “Purimi” or “Peimi”. They were called “Xifan” or “Baju”. After the new China was founded, they were named Pumi by their own will.
The Pumis have their own language, which belongs to the Qiang language branch of the Tibetan-Burmese family in the Sino-Tibetan Family. Dialects in different places are not distinctive very much, and people in different places can communicate with each other. Many Pumis also know language of Hans, Bais, Naxis and Zangs. In the past, Pumis in Ninglang and Muli used Tibetan characters to spell Pumi language and record their historical legends, stories and folk songs. But Chinese characters are commonly used in most part of the Pumi region.
The Pumis worship nature and ancestors. They believe in polytheism, and a few believe in Taoism or Lamaism. Their festivals are Big New Year, Big 15th of the 1st Lunar Month, New Product Tasting Festival, etc.
Agriculture is one of the fundamental industries for the existing and development of the Pumis. Corn, wheat, highland barley, bean and yam are main crops. Animal husbandry still plays an important role in social economy.
