The Lisus is an ethnic group only existing in Yunnan Province, mainly inhabiting Nu River LisusAutonomous County and Weixi Lisus Autonomous County in China's Yunnan Province. Others distribute in some counties in Yunnan Province such as Lijiang , Baoshan, Diqing, Dehong, Dali, Chuxiong etc. and some counties in Sichuan Province such as Xichang, Yanyuan ,Muli, Dechang etc. According to the fifth national population census in 2000 year, the population of the Lisus is 634,912.

Origin and history
The Lisu ethic group originated from the ancient Qiang ethic group, enjoying the same root with the Yi ethic group. The earliest description of the Lisu could be found from the books written in Tang Dynasty. According to the history books in Tang Dynasty that Lisu (which is called Wuman including Lisu Man, Shi Man, Shun Man; Man is a name for ethic group in ancient China) inhabited in a wide area which is now in Yabi River, Jiansha River, Canglang River in Sichuan and Yunnan Province. During the Yuan and Ming Dynasty, the Lisus were under control by the local Naxi feudalism chieftains in Lijiang and other Places.

During the middle of the 16s, the Lisus cannot stand the slavery and oppress of the local Naxi chieftains (also called tusi, system of appointing national minority hereditary chieftain or headman by the central government in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties). Led by headman, Mubipa, the Lisus crossed Canglang River, climbed over Piluo snow-capped mountains and eventually arrived in Nujiang River area. For the next two centuries, the Lisus experienced several migrations due to the defeated revolt.