The branch There is of the Li

In China from denomina Li to a series of peoples who inhabit the island of Hainan. An island of tropical climate in whose interior there are steep mountains that have allowed, in spite of the early contact between the Chinese and the Li, some villages to have remained removed from the Chinese cultural current until the XXth century.

It is not known very well if the Li are only one ethnic group, or if once again, the Chinese authorities have included under this name a number of different peoples. As for his language, called also li, it is said that it has five dialects. Of them the most spoken is that of the branch There is, that it is spoken by 56 % of the Li that live in his prefecture. The Ledong districts are his center, Already, Dongfang, Lingshui, and some areas isolated on the south and west of his autonomous prefecture.

It is considered that it has in turn three local speech:

- Branch Luohou, which divides in the sub speech of Louhou, Baoyou, Duogang, Baoman, Zhiqiang, Bolao, Baohuai.
In the past his men were doing braids to themselves, in the top part they were dressing a blouse without buttons of yellow hemp, after the clothes it was hanging a little by silk, they were covering the low part with a cloth of three peaks called end. The women were tattooing two lines in the face. In the top part they dress a jacket of Chinese style, which they weave and dye, without buttons, more it gives ahead that behind, below a short skirt. Luohuo in the past liked to take those of speech big hanging, sometimes done with more than 20 rings of iron, which were going so far as to weigh up to 2 kilograms, which in ordinary times they allow to rest on the head.
The women are very skillful with the pottery. They all sing very well. Earlier they were killing oxen to offer them to him to the spirits.

- Branch Have. There are called they like that by the continuous use of the negative prayers (yan)
In district Hazu is Already called them Guanli, in Lingshui. They are most extended of the Li. And those of major population. They are those that more Chinese influences have received and almost they all understand the Chinese. The women are not tattooed usually. Most of his customs have disappeared or have been replaced with those of they have. His funerals and garments similar to those of are. Except those who have taken names are, they have the habit of taking the name of animals and plants. Without there c marry the persons of the same name.

- Branch Baoxian. His culture is very similar to that of the Luohuo, but the women only are tattooed in the top part, and not in the low jaw. They dress long skirts.

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