What are the oldest artifacts and musical instruments of Buyi nationality?

The bronze drum is the oldest musical instrument of Buyi nationality. It is made of bronze, and the drum body is cast with various patterns.

Tonggu is called "coming year" in Buyi language. Buyi ancestors believed that "everything has spirit, and the soul is immortal". As the embodiment of the gods in the hearts of Buyi people, the bronze drum is known as the "Buyi God Drum" and is regarded by Buyi people as a family heirloom and a symbol of clan unity. Be honored as a god, sacrifice and worship every year.

Brief introduction of Buyi nationality:

Buyi is a large minority in southwest China, with Buyi as the national language, and Sino-Tibetan is a branch of Zhuang and Dong languages, which is closely related to Zhuang language and commonly uses Chinese.

Buyi people evolved from the ancient Liao people, mainly agriculture. Buyi ancestors began to grow rice very early and enjoyed the title of "rice-growing nation".

Buyi nationality originated from Baiyue in ancient times. It was called Puyue or Puyi before Qin and Han Dynasties, Liao in the Eastern Han Dynasty and Six Dynasties, Fanman in the Tang and Song Dynasties, Bafan, Zhongjia, Nongjia and Bulong before the founding of the People's Republic of China in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Buyi people are mainly distributed in Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan and other provinces, among which Guizhou has the largest population, accounting for 97% of the national Buyi population. Mainly living in two Buyi and Miao autonomous prefectures in Qiannan and Southwest Guizhou, as well as Anshun, Guiyang and Liupanshui. The remaining cities, counties and cities are scattered, and a small number of them live in Vietnam.

According to China Statistical Yearbook -202 1, the population of Buyi people in China is 3,576,752.