The Miao subdivide themselves into a number of different groups such as Long Skirt Miao, Short Skirt Miao, Red Miao and Black Miao. They are descendants of the clans and tribes indigenous to the Yellow River basin and the south and middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

The Yi call themselves the Panduo. They are also called a number of other names - Nosu, Misa, Lasu, Luoluo, Sani, Axi etc. - depending on where they are.

The Buyeis call themselves the Puyi, Puzhong, Burao, Puman, etc. In historical record they were called the Southwest Aborigines among other things. The modern Buyei are descended from a branch of the ancient Baiyue.

The Zhuang are known by a number of different names in different places, including Bushuang, Buchuang, Bunong and Buman. The Zhuang are descendants of the Tai peoples, a group that migrated south from central China 5000 years ago in search of more fertile soil.

There are several versions of the story of their origins but they are generally considered to be descendants of the Wu Man people, or alternatively the Ba people who ruled the area around modern day Chongqing some 2500 years ago.

The Shui are the descendants of the ancient Luoyue tribe that lived along the southeastern coast of China before 206 BC.