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The Bai zu of Zhoucheng

In August 2007 I arrived in Dali, Yunnan Province, to study the Bai nationality. I was accompanied by a translator-graduate student from China Agricultural University, Beijing, Yang Qing Qing. We finally decided to focus on an agricultural village called Zhoucheng, which is about 20 km from Dali.

We discovered Zhoucheng when we sought to attend a big Torch Festival, an annual fertility fest among the Bai and Yi nationalities.

Qing Qing’s first attempted interview, ultimately not successful because of a crying baby.

You will see men caring for babies because their wives are so busy making clothes and fabrics

Here are five older women, busy as all women are, making things for the clothing industry. They make about 18 cents a day.

An interview of a woman and her mother.  Proud of this little boy. Young women do not wear traditional dress, but all older women do.

Women in traditional dress

Women selling a cloth that I actually purchased. Very large.

Detail of traditional head gear, in a shop where they are assembled.

A dyeing factory

In the town square, the daily market

A beautiful face

One hears of the feminization  of the Chinese minorities.  Well, here are your Bai females, making concrete.  Fantastic women.