布依族现有人口254万(据1990年普查统计数字),主要分布在贵州省黔南、黔西南布依族苗族自治州,安顺地区,贵阳市郊区。其余,散居于贵州各地及邻省云南、四川的部分地区。 布依族的族称是根据这个民族多数人的自称“布依”定名。按布依语,“布”是人们共同体的意思,也包含“民族”的意思。“依”即“夷”,“布依”意即夷族,源出“南夷”。 布依族旧称“仲家”,这是从另一部分布依族自称“仲布”的汉译得名。“仲家”族称见载史乘始于《元史》。鉴于民国年间个别方志对“仲家”释名含侮蔑之义,引起部分地区布依族群众对“仲家”族称反感,该族称现已废止不用。 The existing population of Buyi is 2.54 million (according to 1990 census statistics), and is mainly distributed in Qiannan, Qianxinan, Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Anshun and Guiyang suburbs in Guizhou Province. The rest, scattered in all parts of Guizhou and neighboring provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan in some areas. Buyi tribal name is based on the majority claim of the nation “Buyi” named. By Buyi, “cloth” is the meaning of people’s community, but also contains the meaning of “nationality.” “According to” that “Yi”, “Bu Yi” Yi people that is, the source of “Nan Yi.” Buyi formerly known as “Zhong”, which is from another part of the Buyi ethnic group claiming to “cloth” in the Chinese translation of the name. “Zhong” ethnic group said the book contains the history of “Yuan history.” In view of the insignificance of individual local chines in the release of “Zhong” during the years of the Republic of China, the masses of Buyi people in some areas said they were offensive to the “Zhong family” and the family said it was now abolished.