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| Li (or Hlai) |
|---|
| Total population |
|
1.3 million (estimated) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Hainan in China |
| Languages |
| Hlai |
| Religion |
| Animism, Theravada Buddhism |
The Li (黎; pinyin: Lí) or Hlai are a minority Chinese ethnic group, sometimes colloquially known as "Sai" or "Say." They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. 94% of the Li live off the southern coast of mainland China on Hainan, where they are the largest minority ethnic group. As well as Hainan, the Hlai people are also native to some islands of the Philippines; however, there is much smaller population of Hlais in the Philippines compared to Hlais in the PRC.
During the Sui Dynasty they were known by the name Liliao, and presently they refer to themselves as the Hlai people, sometimes spelled Slai. The Li suffered heavily under the Japanese occupation, and they are held in high esteem by the Beijing government because they fought on the side of the CPC against Chinese Nationalist rule during the Chinese Civil War.[1]
The Li people can generally understand or speak Mandarin. Because many Hlais in Hainan relocate to Cantonese-speaking areas in southern China, Hlais may learn Cantonese during their childhood.
Culture
The Li play a traditional wind instrument called kǒuxiāo (口箫)[2], and another called lìlāluó (利拉罗).
External links
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 31 December 2008, at 11:51.
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