The Bai in 1909

Described in the book "On foot for China" of Edwin Dingle. 1911

Cap XVII

From Hungay I was a type of the people who had not seen earlier. There were the Minchia (Pe-tso).

Commander H.R. Davies, whose agreement on the Yunnan tribes at the end of his excellent trip work in the province, is probably it the best write until now, he writes that only it was to the Minchia (ancient name of the Bai) in the flatness of Dali and Zhaozhou, and never the East of the last place.

This was like that when one was traveling ten or twelve years ago, and the fact that now there are many families Minchia that live in Hungay is a testimony that his enterprising spirit as tribe goes further that the mere search of the means to live. There are few doubts that the Minchia came originally from the country that stays between the border of the province and the flatness between Lijiang and Dali with his lakes.

Most of them dress like the Chinese; many of the women bandage to themselves his feet (practice that is growing in popularity), although those that do not have the small feet are still majority. In a small town that is distant only a few li of the city of Dali all the inhabitants are Minchia, and I did not find difficulty in discovering between them a Chinese man, since there are clear facial differences. The Minchia have the biggest nostril, the generally more separated eyes, and the darkest skin.

The pants roses are fashionable between the ladies - tracks of a feminine weakness - but there are no of any form distinctive characteristic of this race.

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