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The Ethnic Minorities of Southern China

Not many people realize just how culturally diverse China is. Although the Han Chinese make up over 90% of the population there are 55 other ethnic nationalities. Many of the portraits below come from the southwestern province of Yunnan bordering Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. It is home to around half of China's ethnic minorities from the Naxi people in the mountainous north to the gentle Buddhist Dai people of tropical Xishuangbanna in the south who live alongside the Bulang, Hani and Yi, each with their unique language and decorative traditional dress. Particularly photogenic are the Miao woman of Guizhou province with their spectacular silver headdresses and costumes worn, as seen above and below, by the young single women during annual courtship festivals. 

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