Longjia people


The Longjia are an ethnic group in western Guizhou province, China. They are officially classified as Bai by the Chinese government.

History

Along with the neighboring Gelao, Miao, and Caijia peoples, the Longjia people had been a subjugated ethnic group under Nasu Yi control in Shuixi 水西 during the Ming Dynasty. Nevertheless, the Longjia were given minor administrative posts since the Yi considered the Longjia to be the best educated among the subjugated ethnic groups, whereas the closely related Caijia people were often assigned to assist in horse stables due to their skills with horses. The Nasu Yi were not native to western Guizhou, but had migrated from the Luyang Mountains of northeastern Yunnan during the 3rd century and founded the Mu'ege Kingdom around 300 C.E.

Names

In Zhijin County, the Longjia people are called Buwai 补外 by the Gelao, Siqie 斯切 by the Miao, and Awupu 阿武普 by the Yi. They are also called Guizou 归走 by the Caijia.
Guizhou lists the following exonyms for the Longjia people in IPA.
The Han Chinese call the Longjia by the following names.
  • Gou'er Longjia 狗耳龙家: Dading 大定, Anshun, and Kangzuosi 康左司 of Guangshun 广顺州
  • Madeng Longjia 马镫龙家: in Dading 大定, Zhenning
  • Datou Longjia 大头龙家: in Puding, Zhenning
  • Cengzhu Longjia 曾竹龙家: in Dafang
  • Xiaotou Longjia 小头龙家
  • Bai Longjia 白龙家

Language

The Longjia language is a Sino-Tibetan language.

Distribution

There is a total of 2,000–4,000 Longjia people in Pu'an, Pingba, and Qingzhen counties, Guizhou, as well as Longlin County of Guangxi. Within Bijie Prefecture, the Longjia are found in the counties of Bijie, Dafang, Zhijin, Qianxi, and Nayong. The Xixiu District Gazetteer 安顺市志：西秀区志 reports an ethnic Bai population of 1,458 households or 6,562 persons.
Reported locations include :
  • Dafang County
  • *Baibu River 白布河 area
  • *Wuxizhai, Xiaotun Township 小屯乡乌溪寨
  • *Liuzhai, Xiangshui Township 响水乡六寨
  • *Guomu, Lihua Township 理化乡果木
  • *Yiduo, Guobao Township 果宝乡以朵
  • Qianxi County: Yuying 雨阴, Luhua 绿化, Longchang 龙场, Tianping 天坪, Huahuan 花缓, Huaxizhai 花溪寨
  • Zhijin County: Daga 大嘎, Sanjia 三甲
  • Nayong County: Jianxinhe 建新河, Yangchang 羊场, Dongguan 东关; Weixin 维新, Longchang 龙场, Zhikun 治昆
  • Anshun: Caiguan 蔡官, Huayan 华严, Erpu 二铺, Jiuzhou 旧州, Shuangbao 双堡
  • Puding County: Jiangyi 讲义, Huangmao 黄毛; Tianba 田坝 of Gumao 谷毛
  • Bijie: Shuanghua 双华, Songlin 松林, Zhenxi 镇西
  • Hezhang County: Wopicun 窝皮寸
Population figures are as follows.
The Duan clan 段氏 of Dafang County, the Shang clan 尚氏 of Nayong County, and the Yang clan 杨氏 of Pan County are officially classified as ethnic Bai, but belong to neither the Longjia nor Qixingmin groups.

Historical distribution

According to the Guizhou Ethnic Gazetteer, the Dading Gazetteer gave the following townships with Longjia residents during the late Qing Dynasty.
  • Dafang County
  • *Baina District 百纳区: Sheba 摄坝乡, Pengcheng 棚程乡
  • *Jichang District 鸡场区: Zaigong 在拱乡
  • *Lihua District 里化区: Lihua 里化镇, Xiaotun 小屯乡, Changchun 长春乡
  • *Machang District 马场区: Guobao 果宝乡
  • *Pojiao District 坡脚区: Changchong 长冲乡
  • *Shuangshan District 双山区: Wenge 文阁乡, Maosu 毛粟乡
  • *Xiangshui District 响水区: Dazhai 大寨乡, Baini 白泥乡, Dadao 大道乡, Xiangshui 响水镇
  • *Daxi District 达溪区: Gaoshi 高视乡, Bazi 坝子乡
  • *Piaojing District 飘井区: Shangba 上坝乡, Babao 八堡乡, Guobang 果帮乡
  • *Changshi District 长石区: Zhangda 张大乡, Longli 隆里乡, Guowa 果瓦乡
  • Zhijin County
  • *Babu District 八步区: Shagui 沙桂乡, Chadian 茶店乡
  • *Yinajia District 以那架区: Guoyong 果永乡
  • Nayong County
  • *Longchang District 龙场区: Yangchang 羊场乡, Yindi 阴底乡
  • *Weixin District 维新区: Dongdi 董地乡, Dongguan 东关乡
  • *Zhikun District 治昆区: Jianxinhe 建新河乡
  • Bijie
  • *Zhuchang District 朱昌区: Mulai 木来乡, Shuanghua 双华乡
  • *Yachi District 鸭池区: Baohe 保河乡
  • Jinsha County
  • *Anle District 安乐区: Datian 大田乡

Dafang County

The Dafang County Gazetteer also reports Longjia people living in Dazhai 大寨 and Dadao 大道 of Dafang County, with more than 2,000 living in each. In Dafang County, villages that have between 1,000 – 2,000 Longjia people include Hegu 河谷, Bazi 坝子, Lihua 里/理化, Pengcheng 鹏程, Changshi 长石, Hetao 核桃, Guobao 果宝, Zhuchang 珠场, Xiangshuizhen 响水镇, Shangba 上坝, and Zeji 则鸡. Longjia with the autonym Songlibao 松立保 have also been reported in Jingzhu 荆竹村 and Bayi 八一村 villages in Babao Township 八堡乡, Dafang County.
Other locations are Cuoba 撮坝, Pengcheng 鹏程, Changchun 长春, Baini 白泥, Guowa 果瓦, Shangba 上坝, and Maopiao 毛票.

Bijie County

The Bijie County Gazetteer reports the following locations of ethnic Longjia.
  • Dazhai and Xiejiazhai of Shuanghua, Chahe Township 岔河镇双华大寨、谢家寨
  • Songlinzhai and Xiaohe of Lishu Township 梨树乡松林寨、小河
  • Dazhai, Zhenxi, Duipo Township 对坡镇镇西大寨
  • Caiguantun, Changchunbao Township 长春堡镇蔡官屯
  • Dazhai, Qingchang 青场大寨
  • Zhaojiazhai, Bazhai 八寨乡赵家寨
  • Datun, Yindi 阴底大屯
The Bijie County Gazetteer reports that the Bai people speak a language called Nanlong 南龙语.

Ethnic townships

The Chinese government has designated the following 15 townships in Guizhou as ethnic Bai townships. Some have ethnic Longjia populations, while others have ethnic Caijia populations.
  • Shuicheng County 水城县
  • *Longchang 龙场苗族白族彝族乡
  • *Yingpan 营盘苗族彝族白族乡
  • Pan County 盘县
  • *Jiuying 旧营白族彝族苗族乡
  • *Yangchang 羊场布依族白族苗族乡
  • Bijie 毕节市
  • *Yindi 阴底彝族苗族白族乡
  • *Qianxi 千溪彝族苗族白族乡
  • Dafang County 大方县
  • *Xiangshui 响水白族彝族仡佬族乡
  • *Sanyuan 三元彝族苗族白族乡
  • *Pudi 普底彝族苗族白族乡
  • *Hetao 核桃彝族白族乡
  • Qianxi County 黔西县
  • *Luhua 绿化白族彝族乡
  • Zhijin County 织金县
  • *Sanjia 三甲白族苗族乡
  • Nayong County 纳雍县
  • *Shedongguan 厍东关彝族苗族白族乡
  • *Kunzhai 昆寨苗族彝族白族乡
  • Hezhang County 赫章县
  • *Songlinpo 松林坡白族彝族苗族乡