The Li people of Hainan Island are one of the oldest ethnic groups in China, and their language and culture have a long history and rich diversity. Did you know that the language of the Li people can be divided into five major dialect areas, namely the Ha dialect, the Qi dialect, the Run dialect, the Sai dialect and the Mei Foo dialect. Why is there so much to say about the same people?Today, we're going to take a look at this interesting topic.
First of all, we need to understand the origin and history of the Li people. According to the research of scholars, the Li nationality developed from the ancient Yue people, especially the Luo Yue, a branch of Baiyue, which is more closely related. The ancestors of the Li nationality settled on Hainan Island on the occasion of Yin Zhou 3,000 years ago and lived the life of a primitive matriarchal clan commune. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the Han Dynasty began to set up counties on Hainan Island, which strengthened the rule of the Li people and promoted economic and cultural exchanges between the Li and Han people. After the Sui and Tang dynasties, agricultural production on Hainan Island developed greatly, and the productivity level of the Li nationality also increased. However, due to the different distribution areas and the inconvenient transportation in ancient times, the language, clothing, and Xi within the Li nationality also formed differences. This is the origin of the five major dialect areas of the Li nationality.
So, what are the characteristics and differences between these five dialect areas?We can briefly introduce it from the following aspects:
Kazakh dialect: Located in Ledong County, it is the largest dialect area of the Li nationality, with about 58% of the total population of the Li nationality. The Kazakh dialect is divided into three local languages, namely Ha, Yu and Jia. The Kazakh dialect is characterized by clear pronunciation, smooth intonation, simple grammar, and rich vocabulary. The Li costume in the Kazakh dialect area is mainly black, both men and women wear black shirts and trousers, and women's headscarves and skirts are also black, only the belt and skirt have colorful patterns. The Xi of the Li nationality in the Kazakh dialect area takes "March 3" as the biggest festival, which is the love festival of the Li nationality, and it is also a day of ancestor worship, blessing and entertainment. The Li nationality in the Kazakh dialect area is represented by "Li tune", which is a unique national form, characterized by a single voice, free rhythm, wide vocal range and rich ornamental sounds, showing the emotions and life of the Li people.
Qi dialect: Located in Wuzhishan City, it is the second largest dialect area of the Li nationality, with about 18% of the total population of the Li nationality. The Qi dialect is divided into three local languages, namely Qi, Qi and Lu. Qi dialect is characterized by soft pronunciation, variable intonation, complex grammar, and few words. The Li costume in the Qi dialect area is mainly white, both men and women wear white shirts and trousers, and the women's headscarves and skirts are also white, with only black patterns on the belt and skirt. The Xi of the Li nationality in the Qi dialect area takes the "October Festival" as the largest festival, which is the harvest festival of the Li nationality, and is also a day of ancestor worship, blessing and entertainment. The Li nationality in the Qi dialect area is represented by "Li Song", which is an ancient form of folk singing, characterized by double voices, fixed rhythms, narrow vocal range and simple ornamental sounds, showing the wisdom and diligence of the Li people.
Run dialect: Located in Baisha County, it is the third largest dialect area of the Li nationality, with about 10% of the total population of the Li nationality speaking. The Run dialect is divided into two local languages, namely Run and Local. The Runfang dialect is characterized by strong pronunciation, smooth intonation, medium grammar, and average vocabulary. The Li costumes in the Run dialect area are mainly blue, both men and women wear blue shirts and trousers, and women's headscarves and skirts are also blue, only the belts and skirts have colorful patterns. The Xi of the Li nationality in the Run dialect area takes the "August Festival" as the biggest festival, which is the Thanksgiving Day of the Li people, and it is also a day of ancestor worship, blessing and entertainment. The Li nationality in the Run dialect area is represented by the "Li dance", which is a beautiful national dance form, with two or more people as a unit, with singing and musical instruments, with flexible footwork and movements, showing the friendship and happiness of the Li people.
Sai dialect: Located in Baoting County, it is the fourth largest dialect area of the Li nationality, with about 8% of the total population of the Li nationality. Sai dialect, also known as Kamao dialect or Taiwanese dialect, is one of the oldest dialects of the Li nationality and has a strong primitive atmosphere. The Sai dialect is characterized by rough pronunciation, steep intonation, poor grammar, and sparse vocabulary. The Li costume in the Sai dialect area is mainly red, both men and women wear red shirts and trousers, and the women's headscarves and skirts are also red, only the belts and skirts have black patterns. The Xi of the Li nationality in the Saifang dialect area takes the "July Festival" as the biggest festival, which is the sacrifice festival of the Li people, and it is also a day of ancestor worship, blessing and entertainment. The Li nationality in the Sai dialect area is represented by the "Li drum", which is a primitive national percussion instrument, with single or multiple people as a unit, with singing and dancing, with a strong rhythm and sound, showing the bravery and strength of the Li people.
Mei Foo dialect: Located in Dongfang City, it is the smallest dialect area of the Li nationality, with about 6% of the total population of the Li nationality. The Mei Foo dialect is one of the youngest dialects of the Li ethnic group and has obvious foreign influences. Mobil dialect is characterized by a soft voice, tortuous intonation, flexible grammar and rich vocabulary. The Li costume in the Mei Foo dialect area is mainly green, both men and women wear green shirts and trousers, and women's headscarves and skirts are also green, only the belts and skirts have colorful patterns. The Li Xi in the Meifu dialect area takes the "September Festival" as the biggest festival, which is the celebration festival of the Li people, and it is also a day of ancestor worship, blessing and entertainment. The Li nationality in the Meifoo dialect area is represented by the "Li Qin", which is an elegant national plucked musical instrument, which is composed of single or multiple people, with singing and dancing, and with beautiful melodies and harmonies, showing the civilization and progress of the Li people.
The above is a brief introduction to the five major dialect areas of the Li nationality, hoping to give you a preliminary understanding of the language and culture of the Li nationality. If you want to know more details, you can *** the Baijia number. Thank you for reading and have a great day!