The Pumi (also Primi) people (Tibetan: བོད་མི་, Wylie: bod mi, , own name: ) are an ethnic group. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by China. Ethnically related to the Tibetans of the Mili Tibetan Autonomous County and Yanyuan County in Sichuan, the Pumi are recognized as an official minority nationality unique to Yunnan, with a population of 30,000. Communities are found notably in Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County, Ninglang Yi Autonomous County, Lijiang Old Town, Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Weixi Lisu Autonomous County and Yongsheng County, typically at elevations above . Language Prinmi, the Pumi language, belongs to the Qiangic branch of the Tibeto-Burman family. In the past, it was noted that the Pumi in the Muli and Ninglang areas used the Tibetan script mainly for religious purposes, although gradually the Tibetan script fell into disuse and oblivion. In modern times, the Pumi receive education in Chinese. A pinyin-based Roman script has been proposed, but the orthography has yet to be promoted. History The Pumi have a long history and their path of migration is historically traceable. Originally, they lived as nomads inhabiting the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Later, they moved to the warmer areas along valleys within the Hengduan Mountain Range in the 4th century B.C. Their ancestors probably are the ancient Qiang people, a nomadic tribe on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Subsequently, they moved to Northern Sichuan in the 7th century, and subsequently to northwest Yunnan in the 14th century. Many of them settled down to become farmers, and local landlords dominated the Pumi economy in Lanping and Lijiang counties. Except for a small number of common areas, the landlords held large areas of lands and collected rental fees from the peasants. This accounted for at least 50 per cent of the harvest. Pumi landlords and Nakhi chiefs also traded domestic slaves. With the coming of the Cultural Revolution, the landlords' powers were severely weakened. The coming of modern facilities and technologies, such as hospitals and factories, have also greatly changed the lifestyle of the Pumi. Religion Due to their contact with Tibetans, the religion of the Pumi has been heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism and the older practice of Bön. Today, this amalgamation is known as Hangui (韩规) and shares much in common with the Dongba practices of the Nakhi people. A form of ancestor worship is also present among the Pumi. Through the