Today, the Bai people accept minority status for pragmatic reasons; however, they are culturally nearly indistinguishable from Han Chinese.

[5] One prerequisite for creating a hybrid form of Chinese would be a unique cultural identity, distinct from the Han, but the Bai people have been said by the sinologist Charles Patrick Fitzgerald to have held no ‘strong national feeling’ even before 1949.

The earliest human site, discovered in the early 20th century, was called the paleolithic Malong relics of Mt.

Assuming the Bo transcription is correct, the earliest mention of the Bai was in the third century BCE in a text called Lüshi Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü Buwei).

The Dali Kingdom persisted for about 300 years (937-1253), facilitating the Bai's establishment of internal cohesion centered around the Erhai Lake.

[12] According to the Manshu (Book of Barbarians) by Fan Chuo (9th century), the Baiman's pronunciation of Chinese was the most accurate out of all the tribes in the area.

During the Ming dynasty, the government began offering state examinations in Yunnan, which solidified Classical Chinese as the official language.

[20] The habits of the Bai people in the Dali region closely resemble those of conventional Han Chinese culture.

[26] Although most Bai people adhere to Azhaliism, a form of Buddhism that traces its history back to the Nanzhao Kingdom,[12][21][22] they also practice a native religion called Benzhuism: the worship of ngel zex (本主; běnzhǔ), local gods and ancestors.

They cultivate many crops like rice, wheat, rapeseed, sugar, millet, cotton, cane, corn, and tobacco.

Unlike the Han and most other Chinese minority groups, the Bai ate cheese and made it from either cow or goat milk.

[36] The Bai people enjoy sour, cold and spicy flavours and excel in preparing delicacies such as cured gammon, bowfish (Zacco taliensis), river snails sauce, fried termite mushrooms (Termitomyces) and pork liver.

[37] The Bai people of Dali and surrounding regions enjoy a distinctive dish known as "raw meat" or "raw skin," which consists of pork that is roasted to a medium doneness, then sliced or shredded, and served with ginger, green onions, vinegar, and chilli peppers to entertain guests.

[42][43] Zhoucheng, Dali (Chinese: 大理周城) offers a diverse array of tie-dye items, featuring over 1,000 distinct patterns characterised by a broad spectrum of themes and profound meanings.

Women in Dali traditionally wear a white coat trimmed with a black or purple collar, loose blue trousers, embroidered shoes, silver bracelets, and earrings.

Originally, it was a religious activity to rally and pay homage, but it gradually evolved into a fair that included performances of traditional sports and dance as well as the trade of merchandise from different regions.

The origins of Bai horse racing date back over a millennium to the Tang Dynasty, coinciding with the introduction of Buddhism to Nanzhao.

[48] Annually, during the festival, the Bai and other ethnic groups, like the Tibetans and Nakhi, convene from across the globe in ceremonial clothing with their horses to engage in horse-racing.

milk fan), a dried cheese specific to the Dali region,[53] are put into a tea cup with brown sugar and other ingredients.

This Dali specialty has a noticeable aftertaste, which meant it was known as Hui Wei Cha 回味茶 (Reflection Tea).

As such, the tea ceremony is considered by some to perfectly embody the hospitable Bai people's current customs.

[52] The Bai people have developed and preserved three distinctive architectural styles that reflect their unique traditions and craftsmanship.

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, dating back to the period between 823 and 840 AD, are recognized as significant architectural landmarks attributed to the Bai people.

The central pagoda, standing at a height surpassing 70 meters in Dali, ranks among the tallest structures of similar kind in China, highlighting the architectural achievements associated with the Bai community.