Yi Syllable Tep

ꄯ writes one syllable of Liangshan Yi. “Tep” is the standard romanized label: Latin letters used to show how the syllable is read, not an English translation. Its final p marks a low-falling tone, with the voice pitch dropping to a low level.

What changed from old Yi writing?

The Liangshan standard represents one Yi dialect tradition. Older Yi writing developed through regional forms; this standard descends from Classical Yi, the earlier written tradition, but does not cover every Yi language. Surviving dated examples include a bronze bell inscription from the fifteenth century and paper texts around 1500.

During the traditional period, bimo—Yi ritual specialists—kept texts for scripture and ritual, as well as medicine, family ancestry, and history. The standardized Liangshan form was devised in 1974 and officially promulgated in 1980 to support literacy; modern learning materials for children and adults also cover farming and everyday work.