China is home to more than 300,000 ethnic Shui people, who are probably descendants of the Luoyues, one of the earliest tribes living along China's southeastern coast before the Western Han Dynasty (BC 206 -AD 24). The Shui group adopted its present name at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The majority of Shui people dwell on the upper reaches of the Longjiang and Duliu rivers that meander across plains and rolling land interspersed with vast expanses of forests in Southwest China's Guizhou Province.

They live in compact communities in the Sandu Shui Autonomous County and in Libo, Dushan and other counties. Some Shui people live in the northwestern part of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Their language belongs to the Zhuang-Dong branch of the Chinese-Tibetan language family.

At one time, the Shuis used an archaic writing script. Some of their words were pictographs while others resembled Chinese characters written upside down.

Although some of these ancient words are still used for ritual purposes, standard Chinese is used by the Shuis in their daily lives.

This proud ethnic group boasts a treasure house of colourful art and oral literature, including poetry, legends, fairy tales and fables.

The folk songs of Shui people mostly fall into two categories. They chant "grand songs'' while at work, but sing "wine songs'' during wedding feasts or funerals.

The Shui people are good dancers, too. The "Lusheng Dance'' and "Copper Drum Dance'' are the most popular and are enjoyed by all on festive occasions.

Traditional musical instruments include gongs, drums, lusheng reed pipe, huqin (two-stringed bowed instrument) and suona horn (a Chinese woodwind instrument).

(China Daily February 26, 2002)