Abstract:

During Ming and Qing Dynasty, the Bai's famous families, while developing the salt mines in western Yunnan, promoted the growth and change of their population, economy and culture, which enhanced the developing level of the Bai people who live in the remote western Yunnan to reach the same level with the central China and made great historical dedications to the solidarity of the southwest ethnic groups and the formation of their nationality identification.

Key words: the Bai people, western Yunnan, exploration of salt mine, nationality identification