Yi

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Member of a people living in the mountainous regions of southwestern China, northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, totalling about 5.5 million (1987).The Yi are farmers, producing both crops and livestock, and opium as a cash crop. Traditionally they were stratified into princes, aristocrats, commoners, and debt slaves. Their language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family; their religion is animist.

Green represents fertility. Yellow stands for sunshine. Black recalls the people's African origins. Red symbolizes the struggle for liberty. Effective date: 19 September 1983. >>