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The Qixingmin (Chinese: 七姓民) are an unofficially recognized ethnic group of western Guizhou province, China. They are officially classified as Bai by the Chinese government. The Qixingmin reportedly speak a Yi (Loloish) language. The Guizhou Province Ethnic Gazeteer (2002:692) reports that, in 1982, there were about 700 speakers among the more easterly Qixingmin.
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Names
Qixingmin literally means "Seven Surname People" in Chinese. This is because the Qixingmin historically had the seven surnames of Zhang 张, Su 苏, Li 李, Zhao 赵, Xu 许, Qian 钱, and Yang 杨. In Guizhou, they are also known as:
In Zhaotong Prefecture, northeastern Yunnan, there is also an ethnic group known to the local Han Chinese as Bai'erzi 白儿子, and to the local Miao as Mudou 母斗.
Traditionally, the Qixingmin have also been considered an Yi subgroup. The Yi of the western extreme of Guizhou province have been divided into five subgroups, namely the Black Yi 黑彝, Red Yi 红彝, White Yi 白彝, Green Yi 青彝, and Luoju 罗苴 (a traditional name for the Qixingmin).
Distribution
The Qixingmin are distributed in the following villages. According to the Guizhou Ethnic Gazetteer, several centuries ago the Qixingmin used to live primarily in Caohai 草海 of Weining County.
Also, the Nanjingren of Hezhang County are called Awutu 阿武吐 by the local Yi (Hezhang County Almanac 2001).
Qixingmin of the following surnames are distributed in (Guizhou Ethnic Gazetteer 2002:690):