52. Chinese Nationalities (Derung Minority)(Dulong) - Page 1 -- Minorities by Descending Populations

The Derungs also known as the Dulong, numbering about 4,700, live mainly in the Dulong River valley of the Gongshan Derung and Nu Autonomous County in northwestern Yunnan Province. Their language belongs to the Tibetan-Myanmese group of the Chinese-Tibetan language family. Similar to the language of the Nu people, their neighbors, it does not have a written form and, traditionally, records were made and messages transmitted by engraving notches in wood and tying knots.

The Derung people live in two kinds of houses. Those who live in the northern region live in wooden houses, and those in the southern region live in wooden houses, and those in the southern region in bamboo houses. They eat twice a day and their diet consists of corn, millet and beets. Common dishes are gruel and stir-fried noodles accompanied by tea.