The Yugurs (Chinese: 裕固族; pinyin: Yùgù Zú), or Yellow Uyghurs as they are traditionally known, are one of China's 56 officially recognized nationalities, consisting of 13,719 persons according to the 2000 census.The Yugur live primarily in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County in Gānsù Province. They are Buddhists, unlike the Xinjiang Uyghurs who had converted to Islam.Some scholars say that the Yugur's culture, language, and religion, is closer to the original culture of the original Uyghur Confederation at Karakorum, than the culture of the modern Uyghur people of Xinjiang.

Name.
The nationality's current, official name, Yugur, derived from the Yugur's autonym: the Turkic speaking Yugur designate themselves as Yogïr (Yugur) or Sarïg Yogïr (Yellow Yugur), and the Mongolic speaking Yugur likewise use either Yogor or Šera Yogor (Yellow Yugur). Chinese historical documents have recorded these ethnonyms as Sālǐ Wèiwù'ěr or Xīlǎgǔ'ěr. During the Qing dynasty, the Yugur were also called 西喇古兒黃番 (Xilaguer Huángbo (Western Lagur Yellow Bo). "Bo" is the classical Chinese term referring to Sino-Tibetian speaking ethnic groups. In order to distinguish both groups and their languages, Chinese linguists coined the terms Xībù Yùgù (Western Yugur) and Dōngbù Yùgù (Eastern Yugur), based on their geographical distribution.




History.
The Turkic speaking Yugurs are considered to be the descendants of a group of Uyghurs who fled from Mongolia southwards to Gānsù, after the collapse of the Uyghur Empire in 840 AD, and soon established there a prosperous Ganzhou Kingdom (870-1036 AD) with capital near present Zhangye city on the foots of Nan Shan Mountains in the valley of the Ejin River (Black River). Population of this Kingdom, estimated at 300,000 in Song Dynasty chronicles, practised Manichaeism and Buddhism in numerous temples flourished throughout the country.
In 1037 the Yugur came under Tangut domination. They were forcibly incorporated into Tangut Kingdom, despite of fierce resistance, after the bloody war of 1028–1036 AD. Mahmut Kashgari who lived at the time in Kashgar stated that "Uyghur blood was pouring like a murmuring stream" during this war. The Mongolic speaking Yugurs are probably the descendants of one of the Mongolic speaking groups invading northern China during the Mongol conquests in the thirteenth century. The Yugurs were eventually incorporated in the Qing Empire in 1696, during the reign of the second Qing ruler, the Kangxi Emperor (1662–1723).
In 1893, Russian explorer Grigory Nikoleyaevich Potanin, the first Western scientist to study the Yugur, published a small glossary of Yugur words, along with notes on their administration and geographical situation. Then, in 1907, Gustaf Mannerheim visited the Western Yugur village of Lianhua (Mazhuangzi) and the Eastern Yugur temple of Kanglesi. Mannerheim was the first to conduct a detailed ethnographic investigation of the Yugur. In 1911, he published his findings in an article for the Finno-Ugrian Society.


Language.
About 4,600 of the Yugurs speak the Turkic Western Yugur language and about 2,800 the Mongolic Eastern Yugur language. The remaining Yugurs of the Autonomous County lost their respective Yugur language and speak Chinese. A very small number of the Yugur reportedly speak Tibetan. They use Chinese for intercommunication. Both Yugur languages are now unwritten, although vertical Uyghur script was in use in some Yugur communities until end of 19th century.


People.
The Turkic speaking Yugur mainly live in the western part of the County in Mínghuā District, in the Townships of Liánhuā and Mínghǎi, and in Dàhé District, in the centre of the County. The Mongolic speaking Yugur mainly live in the County's eastern part, in Huángchéng District, and in Dàhé and Kānglè Districts, in the centre of the County.
The Yugur people are predominantly employed in animal husbandry.


Religion.
The traditional religion of the Yugur is Tibetan Buddhism, which used to be practised alongside shamanism.






Источники: http://traditions.cultural-china.com/, Dru C. Gladney (2004). Dislocating China: reflections on Muslims, minorities and other subaltern subjects. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 212. ISBN 1-85065-324-0. Retrieved 2010-10-31, Dru C. Gladney (2005). Pál Nyíri, Joana Breidenbach, ed. China inside out: contemporary Chinese nationalism and transnationalism. Central European University Press. p. 275. ISBN 963-7326-14-6. Retrieved 2010-10-31.

Серия сообщений "Китай.":
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Часть 6 - FOLK SONGS OF THE YUGU MINORITY.
Часть 7 - THE YUGUR NATIONALITY.
Часть 8 - The Yugur Nationality.
Часть 9 - ЖЁЛТЫЕ УЙГУРЫ.
Часть 10 - СТАРЫЕ ФОТОГРАФИИ ИЗ ЗАПРЕТНОГО ГОРОДА.
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Часть 16 - Китайский Лунный Новый Год.

THE YUGUR NATIONALITY.

In Chinese, 'Yugur' means 'wealth and solidity'. With a population of 13,719 as at the 2000 census, approximately 90 percent of the Yugur people live in the four areas of Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, and the rest in the Yugur village of Huangnibao area in Jiuquan city (a city in western Gansu Province). The minority has a long history that can be traced back to the year 3 B.C. They live in the mountainous areas, mainly by stock raising, and are typical nomads.


Language and Character:
Three languages are used by the Yugur ethnic minority: the western Yuhur language, a Turkic branch of the Altaic language family (also called Raohul), used by the Yugur people who live in the western part of the Sunan Yugur autonomous county; the eastern Yuhur language, a Mongolian branch of the Altaic language family (also called Engle), used by the Yugur people living in the eastern part of the autonomous county; and the Chinese language.
With regard to written characters, they don't have their own. Chinese characters are widely used amongst all the Yugur people.


Religion:
The Yugur people believe in Lamaism (the Yellow Religion). Other forms of spirit worship are also cherished by them, such as an original belief called the God Khan.
Food and Food Culture:
Only one dinner is eaten every day of which their staple foods are primarily rice, wheat and some mixed grain. As the Yugur people live by stock raising, they usually eat beef, mutton, and pork, as well as chicken and camel meat on which are put some garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar. Due to the special climatic conditions, fresh vegetables are rare, and only some potherbs such as the wild shallot, and leek can be found. Fresh mushrooms are the main vegetables in the fall. In addition, 'milk tea', which is usually mixed with fried noodles, plays a crucial role in the Yugur people's daily life.
The Yugur people are renowned for their hospitality. No matter when guests arrive, they will feast them with great kindness. Fragrant tea or milk tea will be immediately presented that lets each guest feel the Yugur people's friendliness. Singing and dancing performed by the local people will follow accompanied by wines and toasts by every member of the family. When festivals come, each family will bring their best food to treat their honored guests. Among all the delicious food, baked-mutton is the most special.


Crafts:
The Yugur people are deft at weaving and embroidering. They weave beautiful patterns on their carpets, pockets, checkreins and so on. Women are good embroiderers. A variety of patterns are elaborately designed with flowers, insects, grasses, and other pictures embroidered on their collars and sleeves.


Clothes:
The Yugur people have a special way of dressing. Men usually wear high-collared long gowns buttoned on the left, with red or blue waistbands. Women usually wear high-collar gowns overlain with a short waistcoat, and bound with red, purple or green waistbands on which colorful handkerchiefs are tied on the left. They also love to wear a trumpet-shaped red hat, with earrings, bracelets, and rings.


Architecture:
Like other nomadic nations the Yugur people live in tents. Before 1985, the tents were tapered and supported by four, six or nine stakes. However, since 1985, they have adopted the Tibetan-style tents with the square shape sewn by rugs made of goat's wool. Some of the tents are made of white canvas, on which are designed traditional pictures. As the seasons change, the people move their tents to a new place. Usually, a site with a sunny exposure and wind prevention is considered the best.


Marriage Customs:
Grand wedding ceremonies are held in the Yugur minority, which last two days for ordinary people and several days for rich ones. Some customs are quite peculiar. In one the bridegroom shoots three arrows (arrows that will not hurt anyone) to his bride and then breaks the arrows and the bow during the wedding ceremony. According to their culture, this means they will love and live with each other forever. Monogamy is adopted and marriage among people of the same surname and kin is strictly prohibited.


Other Traditions:
Many traditional outstanding cultures are greatly preserved by the Yugur people including legends, folk tales, proverbs, epics, allegories and ballads. In addition, their folk songs expressing their affections are of unique and graceful tunes and are sung by Yugur people of all ages.










Источники: http://traditions.cultural-china.com, Dru C. Gladney (2004). Dislocating China: reflections on Muslims, minorities and other subaltern subjects. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 212. ISBN 1-85065-324-0. Retrieved 2010-10-31.

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Часть 5 - История Китая.
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Часть 8 - The Yugur Nationality.
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FOLK SONGS OF THE YUGU MINORITY.
Yugu Autonomous County in South Gansu is located in the middle of the Hexi Corridor and the north foot of the Qilian Mountains. The Yugu minority, named Yaohu'er or Lianglayugu'er in their own language, is a very special ethnic group. It holds no obvious patriarchal concept of reproduction or distinct awareness of male superiority. The minority is also a romantic ethnic group. As its own written language has lost, its culture, its history in particular, has to be passed down by folk singers of all historical periods. Folk songs of the Yugu minority have diversified contents, beautiful melodies, sprightly rhythm, and sharp ethnic characters. In tune and pattern, Yugu folk songs not only inherited some features of ancient Huns, but also absorbed some characters of layi of the Tibetans, jiuqu of the Mongolians, hua'er of the Hui minority, and banquet tune of the Tu minority, and ingeniously integrate various styles into one.
The Yugu people are good at singing and dancing. The loss of written language gives rise to the flourishing of oral literature of the ethnic group, especially the folk songs which retain many characteristics of folksongs of ancient Dingling, Turkic and Huihu minorities, and share a lot of similarities with modern Hungarian folk songs. The Yugu people like to sing folk songs. In history, there were many professional singers in the minority. They mainly sang for families holding funerals and weddings. Singing plays a very important role in their daily life. As a saying of the Yugu minority goes, "Even when I forget my homeland, I will not forget our language; even when I forget our language, I will not forget our songs".
By language and residential area, Yugu folk songs are divided into eastern folk songs and western ones. The former class is more rustic and bolder, close to Mongolian folk songs in tune; the latter is relatively gentle and deep, and inherits more traditions of Huihu folk songs. Yugu folk songs adopt the pentatonic scale, in which yu, zhi, and shang are most commonly used. As most librettos are in two lines, most tunes are single passages comprising two phrases. Single-phrase passages also account for a certain proportion. As the accent of words in eastern and western Yugu folk songs always falls on the last syllable, it is common to see the rhythmic pattern with a short head and a long end.
Fifths can be frequently found in Yugu folk songs. Generally speaking, it is adopted more in western folk songs than in eastern ones for the development of musical ideas. Conjunct motion is the basis for melodic lines of Yugu folk songs. They mostly consist of almost just conjunct motions. Disjunct motions are mostly disjunct upward/downward motions by fourths and fifths. The folk music works of the Yugu minority are simple in structure. Most of them are closely related to the way of production and living (like pasturing, rearing young animals, and stocking grass) and customs in ancient times. The librettos and poetic meters have much in common with Turkic and Mongolian folk songs recorded in ancient documents, and bear many features of ancient languages. Therefore, Yugu folk songs may have preserved many ancient elements.























По материалам с сайта: http://traditions.cultural-china.com

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