THE OFFICIAL NAME of Kuanghsi province is the Kuanghsi Chuang Autonomous Region. Next to the Han Chinese, the Chuang are China’s largest ethnic group. That surprises people. Most people would think it was the Manchus, or the Uigurs, or the Mongols, or the Tibetans. But in 1990 there were 15 million Chuang in China, compared to 10 million Manchus, 7 million Uigurs, 5 million Mongols, and 4.5 million Tibetans. Since most of China’s 15 million Chuang live in Kuanghsi, hence the province’s distinction as the Kuanghsi Chuang Autonomous Region.]
”, in South of the Clouds: Travels in Southwest China, page 23