Chinese Ethnic Groups: Lolo Tribesmen



Figure 1.-- The Chinese boy here ws encountered by an American journalist and Army Air Force mission looking for World War II crash sites and possible survivors was one of those slaves. The caption to this photograph was titles, "Slave of Lolo Tribesmen" and read, "This lad is held in slavery by Lolo tribesmen who acquire slaves by raids on Chinese villages. His duties include tending the flocksand he shares food and water with his captors. American Graves Registration officers met this little fellow while searching the Hulai Mountains in western China, to verify reports that missing American airmen were being held as slaves by Lolo tribesmen." The photograph was dated October 30, 1946.

The dominant ethnic group in China is the Han Chinese. China is, howeverm a lsrge country and there are many different ethnic groups in modern China. One of those people are the Lolo, a tribal group found in the mountins of southwestern China. The Lolo Tribesmen are found at the higher altitudes with the Han Chinese occupying the lower, more fertile lands. Into the early 20th century they supported temslves throufg both agriculture and banditry.

The Lolo

Te Lolo live in the Szechuan Province of southwestern China. They refer to themselves as the Noso. The Lolo Tribesmen are found at the higher altitudes with the Han Chinese occupying the lower, more fertile lands. [Graham] Traditional Lolo society consisted of three classes. The Black tribesmen were the are the ruling aristocracy and are largely occupied with feuding, raiding, and with keeping livestock. [Yueh-Hwa] The ecomomy was agricultural. The Lolo farmed (corn, wheat, buckwheat, rice, potatoes, and vegetables) and kept livestock (pigs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens). [Graham] Lo Lo tribesmen bury their lepers alive. [Rock] One of the best sources of information about western Chima during the early 20th century are the journals of John Weston Brooke. Brooke traveled extensively through western China and Tibet. meeting the Dali Lama (1906-08). On his second journey he was accompanied by C.H. Meares, who later joined Scott's disaterous expedition to the South Pole. Brooke himself was murdered by Lolo tribesmen (1908). [Fergusson] Lolo tribesmen traditionally used bow and arrows, in some case poison arrows. By the 20th cenury they had acquired firearmsd. The language dffered from both Tibetan and Chinese. The Lolo dressed in long, sleeveless robes made from either wool or felt. The long robes extend from their necks to their ankles. The women had bonnet-like hats. Earings (silver and coral) are popular with both men and women. Most Lolo went brefoot, but some wear straw sandals. [Graham]

Lolo Slavery

Lolo tribesmen into the early 20th century would raid the lowland Chinese to obain booty. Among the booty would be individuals brought back and set to work as slaves. The Chinese boy here ws encountered by an American journalist and Army Air Force mission looking for World War II crash sites and possible survivors was one of those slaves. The caption to this photograph was titles, "Slave of Lolo Tribesmen" and read, "This lad is held in slavery by Lolo tribesmen who acquire slaves by raids on Chinese villages. His duties include tending the flocksand he shares food and water with his captors. American Graves Registration officers met this little fellow while searching the Hulai Mountains in western China, to verify reports that missing American airmen were being held as slaves by Lolo tribesmen." The photograph was dated October 30, 1946.

World War II

Japn invaded China and quickly seized Beijing and Nanking (1937). After these initial defeats Generalissmo Chiang Kai-shek withdrew his battered, illequipped armies into the remote southwest where the Japanese had trouble reaching him. The Japanese seized coastal Chinese ports. Chiang obtained supplies to continue fighting through French ports in Indochina and through British Burma along the Burma Road. The Japanese after the fall of France (1940) moved into Indochina closing that source of supply and after the dall of Singapore drove the British out of Burma, cutting the Burma Road (1942). The Japanese had destroyed the small Chinese air force. America provided Chiang the Flying Tigers and later the 14th Air Force. After the Japanese cut the Burma Road, the only way to supply Chiang was by flights from India over the Hump. This mean there were Allied (mostly American) flights over Lolo lands. The flyers were given a booklet with an exortion by Chiang to help the american flyers reach Sichang where they would be rewarded with silver, salt, cloth, and a "flag of honor". Only high priority cargo could be carried over the Hump and much of it was to support American air operations against the Japanese. Flying the Hump was dangerous and many flights were lost. After the War American missions attempted to track down the flights lost in China. A China Natioal Aviation Co flight from Xichang Airport Sichuan Province crashed (September 20, 1946). All the 3-man crew ad 25 pasengers were reportedly killed. One source claims that Captain A. Lungbotham and 13 others were held captive by Lolo tribesmen.

Sources

Fergusson W. N. Adventure Sport and Travel on the Tibetan Steppes 8 volumes (London: Constable and Company, 1911).

Graham, D.c. The Lolo of Szechuan Province, China (930).

Rock, Joseph Francis Charles. Papers, 1922-62. Arnold Arboretum Archives, Jamaica Plain, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Yueh-Hwa, Lin. The I-Chia of the Liang Mountains. (1948).








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Created: 7:42 PM 3/15/2007
Last updated: 7:42 PM 3/15/2007