Yùlín

The Yùlín are the Yue-speaking Han people of the basin country of south-eastern Guangxi, around the headwaters of the Nanliu River. Their Yulin dialect belongs to the Goulou branch of Yue and keeps roughly fourteen tones. The Han set up Yulin commandery in 111 BC on the former Guilin commandery of the Qin.

The Tang established Yulin prefecture in 666, and in 996 the Song moved its seat to Nanliu on the Nanliu River. Under the Yuan the prefecture held Nanliu, Xingye and Bobai; in 1377 the Ming added Beiliu and Luchuan, forming the Yulin Five. In 1725 the Qing raised Yulin to an independent department directly under the province.