The Hlai or Li ( é '' ; pinyin : LÃ ) are an ethnic group living primarily on the island of Hainam , off the southern coast of mainland China and just east of Vietnam . The Hlai are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Chinese government . The Li ( é '' ; pinyin : LÃ ) or Hlai are a minority Chinese ethnic group , the vast majority of whom live off the southern coast of mainland China on Hainan Island , where they are the largest minority ethnic group .