Who Are the A Che?

The A Che are one of the hundreds of minority groups which make up the Yi ethnic group in China. With a population numbering 39,000 they are often confused with the Azhe people, who also make up the Yi people. Dispute the similarity of their names, the A Che people are a distinctly separate group.

The A Che and the Azhe people share a common ancestry. Both groups migrated to Jianshui County in Yunnan Province during the Sui and Tang Dynasties (581 – 907 CE) where they enrolled in the Luodian kingdom’s armies. After a period of time, a group moved into Yimen and Shuangbai counties where they eventually settled and became known as the A Che.

The A Che are polytheists and have always been so. Worshipping their creator god, they claim that the relationship between their creator and themselves was once much closer, but over the years they have become separated and they cannot communicate with the creator, thus they cannot enter heaven.

Like most groups belonging to the Yi ethnic group, the A Che celebrates the Dragon Festival which is held on the second day of the second lunar month. In Shuangbai County, the other great important festival is the Open Street Festival. Held on the eighth day of the first lunar month in Damaidi District, the entire community comes together is a blaze of colour and gaiety.

The A Che lives in the southern province of Yunnan, most of who live in the eastern counties of Chuxiong Prefecture with others in Yuxi Prefecture. Those who live in Shuangbai County live in rural and extremely isolated villages, which is perhaps why most foreigners have not heard of them before.