Blang

The Blang are an ethnic group recognized by the People’s Republic of China as one of the 56 official ethnic groups. They are predominantly distributed in Yunnan Province, with substantial communities in Xishuangbanna and Dehong Prefectures, and smaller populations in Guangxi and border areas near Southeast Asia.

Language: The name Blang refers to both the ethnonym and the Blang language. The language belongs to the Kra-Dai language family and exists in several dialects; many Blang people are bilingual, speaking Mandarin Chinese and local minority languages, and some use scripts developed for linguistic documentation.

Culture and economy: Traditionally, Blang communities practice agriculture, with rice farming as a principal activity, alongside farming of other crops and forest products. Households often maintain extended-family living; crafts such as textile weaving and embroidery appear in traditional dress, and social life centers on villages and kin networks.

Religion and belief: The Blang have historically practiced animism and ancestor worship, with rituals conducted to ensure harvest and family well-being. Over the 20th century, some Blang converted to Buddhism or Christianity due to missionary activity and regional religious diffusion.

Writing and education: There is no widely used traditional Blang script. In modern times, schooling is conducted in Chinese or regional languages, with some bilingual education and language documentation projects aimed at preserving Blang vocabulary and oral literature.

The Blang are part of the complex ethnic mosaic of southern China, maintaining distinctive languages, dress, and customs while integrating into national economic and social life.