In the late 1930s, historian C. P. Fitzgerald lived among the Bai — then known as the Min Chia — in Dali, Yunnan Province. Drawing from firsthand experience, Fitzgerald offers a vivid and insightful exploration of Bai culture, including their rice-based economy, language, religious practices, family life, and interactions with missionaries. This ethnographic portrait is enriched by the author’s own photographs, capturing a unique moment in the region’s history.

With a Min Chia language introduction, Glossary, Index