The Gelao Nationality

The Gelaos have a population of over 53,000, mainly living in compact communities in northern and western Guizhou province. They are also scattered throughout Guangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan. The Gelao language, without its own written form, belongs to the Geyang branch of the Zhuang-Dong language family which itself is a part of the Sino-Tibetan language system. The Gelaos' main occupation is agricultural production. They have a rich folk culture and worship nature.


Over 2,100 years ago, an ancient ethnic group called the Liao founded a small kingdom named Yelang. The kingdom held great influence over the area which is now southwest China.

Historical records tell us that the Gelaos in ancient times mainly lived in railing-style houses and the traditional houses are still kept in the north of Guizhou province. People in other areas live mainly in houses built of mud and wood alongside the hills. A typical home generally has three rooms: the central main room and two smaller rooms that serve as bedroom and kitchen. This kind of structure was built of timber pillars and thick planks, which is in the past only affordable to the rich. Today, however, quite a few of the tall structures have mushroomed throughout the villages.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the growing population of the Gelaos began to live together with other ethnic groups. Through exchange and learning from other groups, their style of dress gradually changed. The ancient Gelaos' apparel was unique: both women and men wore tubeª²shaped shirts woven from dyed wool and gunny. Women generally wore a waist-length coat with scaleª²shaped patters. Their long skirts were pleated and had three colors: green, red and white. Their outer garments were green and sleeveless. They also wore a green piece on the head and a pair of hook-shaped shoes. Men usually wore a short coat and a piece of green or white cloth on the head.

The majority of the Gelaos live in the humid mountain slope areas that have complicated topographical features. Agricultural production is the main economic activity locally, with most people planting corn in hillside fields and rice on flatlands.

People like to eat steamed corn flour so it is on the table throughout the year. Rice of the same quantitiy is added into the corn flour at festivals or for guests.

Chili soup is an essential course in the typical Gelao meal because it can help keep the body warm and dispel dampness. There are a variety of chili dishes, including chili gruel, chili with preserved beancurd, and many others. But what people like most is a dish with chili powder mixed with bone powder which can be added to other courses as a spice.
Spring Festival and the Gelao New Year are important festivals. The Gelao New Year is in the third month of the lunar calendar when everything begins to grow. The festival's most important activity is offering sacrifices to the holy trees, a custom originating from the worship of the all-powerful ancient tree. During the ceremony, all the men in the village are led around the slopes near the village, then they offer sacrifices to the holy tree in reverence. They invite the gods to take the offerings and pray to the tree for happiness and a good harvest for the whole village.

The God-thanking drama is another popular entertainment activity of the Gelaos. It is a form of drama that emerged only after the Gelao society had been penetrated by the Han. While gradually losing its influence among the Hans, it found a place in the Gelao society and became an integral part of the Gelao culture. The drama prevails in northern Guizhou and the local drama common in central Guizhou is purely for entertainment purposes.

The Gelaos have a variety of other entertainment activities-one of which is acrobatics. The "high platform lion dance" is wellª²received among the people: 12 square tables are piled up to a height of over 10 meters. Two men act as lions; another two men act as the Monkey King and a smiling monk who play with the lions; they will later climb up on the top of the platform. When they reach the top, the actors will perform a variety of acts including the "flying swallow," the "Monkey King picking peaches," and the "dragon holding pillar." These performances may last from 4 to 5 hours and some of them are really breath-taking while others might be very funny and amusing.
Suona horn is an indispensable instrument on festive occasions. Over 10 melodies can be played including: the "Laohui" tune, the "Hill-Climbing" tune, the "River-Crossing" tune, the "Street-Crossing" tune, the "Wedding" tune and the "Boat-Pulling" tune. Together with gong and drum, Suona makes any event lively and full of excitement.

There are a lot of stone masons in the local area who can make unique carvings on stone tombs, stone tablets, memorial archways, bridges, railings and buildings.

The Gelaos, living in the mountains, had established and forged the strong Yelang Kingdom with a spirit of unity and bravery. Today, with a spirit of endurance and courage, they are now making every effort to build a better home.