Li Yougui
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Born into a wrestling family, he began learning traditional Yi wrestling at the age of 15. Under his grandfather's meticulous guidance and his father's instruction by word and example, he mastered all the technical movements of Yi wrestling, such as the Shilin leg hold, the charging double-leg hold, the ducking leg hold, the left and right side leg holds, the pulling side inside-and-outside throw, the leg lift, the leg thread, the backward fall and carry, the pulling somersault and the little chicken drinking water. Within the regional tradition and school record of Wrestling in Shilinyizuzizhi, Yunnan: Yi (Sani) wrestling in the Shilin Yi Autonomous County centers on the Torch Festival: villages in the Changhu, Guishan and Xijiekou areas set up wrestling grounds during the Torch Festival and other festive holidays, with a village elder presiding over the proceedings and announcing the rules before the contest; participants include not only young men but also women and children. Yi wrestling in the neighboring Xiaoliangshan Township of Yuanmou County (called "ge" in the Yi language), together with Yi wrestling in Mile, Luxi and other places, jointly form the distribution belt of Yi wrestling in central and eastern Yunnan. Since the 1990s, the Shilin County People's Government has held a county-wide wrestling competition every year.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
Male, Yi ethnicity, born in March 1960, a native of Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province. A performer of Yi wrestling techniques. Within the documented technical tradition of Wrestling in Shilinyizuzizhi, Yunnan: As a traditional sport, wrestling is fairly common among all the ethnic groups of China, and in Yunnan Province it is especially prevalent among the Yi people. Among them, Yi wrestling activities in Shilin County and Yuanmou County have the broadest popular base and are the most welcomed by the masses. Yi wrestling in Xiaoliangshan Township, Yuanmou County, called "ge" in the Yi language and signifying strength and skill, is an ancient sport long loved by young men; it can strengthen the body, inspire the fighting spirit, promote ethnic unity and social harmony, and bring joy to everyone. Wrestling expresses the bravery, fortitude and indomitable spirit of the Yi people, and is closely bound up with the Yi people's traditional martial values and customs. The Yi (Sani) people of the Shilin Yi Autonomous County are avid fans of wrestling: during the Torch Festival and other festive holidays, the villages often hold wrestling contests. The purposes of the wrestling contest are, first, to pray for favorable weather and abundant harvests; second, to strengthen unity and add to the festive atmosphere; and third, to build physical fitness and cultivate courage. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The Torch Festival ring": The Sani Yi of Shilin county hold wrestling contests in every village at the Torch Festival and other festive occasions. "Ge, the wrestling of Xiaoliangshan": In Xiaoliangshan township of Yuanmou county the Yi call wrestling ge, meaning strength and skill. "Wrestling for rain and harvest": Contests are held to pray for good weather and harvest, to strengthen unity and to foster courage. "The Shilin youth sports school network": A youth sports school and training centres have supplied talent for Yunnan, and since the 1990s the county has held annual tournaments.
The Torch Festival ring
The Sani Yi of Shilin county hold wrestling contests in every village at the Torch Festival and other festive occasions.
Ge, the wrestling of Xiaoliangshan
In Xiaoliangshan township of Yuanmou county the Yi call wrestling ge, meaning strength and skill.
Wrestling for rain and harvest
Contests are held to pray for good weather and harvest, to strengthen unity and to foster courage.
The Shilin youth sports school network
A youth sports school and training centres have supplied talent for Yunnan, and since the 1990s the county has held annual tournaments.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
National representative bearer of Wrestling (Yi Wrestling), a fifth-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. By the age of 16 he had already distinguished himself at the large and small wrestling grounds of the Yi mountain villages, winning numerous awards and becoming a wrestling strongman renowned near and far. He actively takes apprentices and transmits his art; he formed a wrestling team in his own village and has taught not only his two sons and the young people of the village but also women, children and wrestling enthusiasts from other mountain villages, giving a strong impetus to the development of local wrestling.
04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier
Historical origin
Since the 1990s, the Shilin County People's Government has held a county-wide wrestling competition every year.
05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage
National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Yong | Yanji, Jilin | 05-2543 | Other regional school |
| Li Yougui | Shilinyizuzizhi, Yunnan | 05-2544 | This page |
| Miman Aimila | Yuepuhu, Xinjiang | 05-2545 | Other regional school |
| Guan Guilin | Shenyang, Liaoning | — | Other regional school |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。