The Yao nationality (its great majority branch is also known as Mien; Traditional Chinese: 瑤族, Simplified Chinese: 瑶族, Pinyin: Yáo zú; Vietnamese: người Dao) is a government classification for various minorities in China. They form one of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where they reside in the mountainous terrain of the southwest and south. They also form one of the 54 ethnic groups officially recognized by Vietnam. In the last census in 2000, they numbered 2,637,421 in China, and roughly 470,000 in Vietnam.

The origins of the Yao can be traced back 2,000 years ago, starting in Hunan Province. The Yao and Miao people were among the rebels during the Miao Rebellions against the Ming dynasty. Around 1890 the Guangdong government started taking action against Yao in northwestern Guangdong.

Some members of the Yao minority live in Wugang, Hunan. One branch of the Wugang Yao were known as "Tang" (擋). The hill lands of Hunan are home to Yao tribes. Yao working in agriculture usually learn the dialect of Chinese of the Han Chinese who employed them.

Dance of the Yao People (simplified: 瑶族舞曲; traditional: 瑤族舞曲; pinyin: Yáozú Wǔqǔ; sometimes translated as Dance of the Yao Tribe) is one of the best known and most popular Chinese instrumental compositions of the second half of the 20th century. It was composed collaboratively by Liu Tieshan (刘铁山) and Mao Yuan (茅沅) in 1952, inspired by the long drum dance (瑶族长鼓舞歌), a form of traditional festival music of the Yao people of southern and southwest China. It was premiered in Beijing in 1953.

Although it was originally composed for Western instruments, it is generally performed by Chinese traditional instruments (either for solo guzheng,^video chamber ensemble, or orchestral).^video It is also performed by ensembles or orchestras of Western instruments.^video

The work achieved wide attention in 1954, when the arrangement for Chinese orchestra by the conductor Peng Xiuwen was disseminated throughout China. Other arrangements have been made by the Taiwanese composers Cheng Si-sum (鄭思森) and Chen Tscheng-hsiung (陳澄雄).

Liu Fang (simplified Chinese: 刘芳; traditional Chinese: 劉芳) (born 1974) is one of the most prominent pipa players in the world. Described in the media as the "empress of pipa" (L'actualité), "divine mediator" (World), "the greatest ambassadress of the art of the pipa" (La presse), Liu Fang is known as “possessing virtuoso technique, grace and a unique empathy toward the music she plays – whether it is a traditional and folk tune or a modern Western composition” (All Music Guide). "She has an extraordinary focused, poised presence in her manner and her playing. In a lesser player this is just a trained formality; the body of material and techniques for her instruments is extremely highly developed, passed down through centuries. But Liu Fang’s total devotion to her playing has moved her beyond perfect execution to the creativity and flexibility that marks a true musician."(in the fRoots Magazine, 06.2006).

Born in Kunming in the Chinese province of Yunnan, she began playing the pipa at the age of 6. Her first solo public performance was at the age of 9. In 1986, at age 11, she played for Queen Elizabeth II. Her studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music broadened her musical range and allowed her to study the guzheng. At the age of 22, Liu Fang immigrated to Canada and is now a Canadian citizen, currently residing in Montreal. The decision to move to Quebec allowed her virtuosic playing to reach a wider international audience. Since 1999, she has performed hundreds of solo concerts featuring Chinese traditional and classical music on her two solo instruments - pipa and guzheng. Her profile has risen due to her rich and deeply spiritual performances as well as a wide ranging repertoire that features music from Chinese classical and folk traditions (including pieces rarely heard) as well as contemporary works from both east and west.

Cheng Yu (141 - 220), originally named Cheng Li (程立) and changed his name to Yu (lit. "lifting the sun") after dreaming of the sun on top of Mount Tai, was one of the major advisors to the Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao, and became a high-ranking official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China. Chen Shou, author of Records of Three Kingdoms, described him as a very tall man (approximately 1.91m) with a beautiful long beard. He was from Dong'e County, Dong Commandery (near present day Liaocheng). Cheng was best known at his time for his abnormal approach to outwit a shortage on grain: instead of sending hostage to Yuan Shao for food, he advised Cao to feed the army with human! He was also noted for his expertise in military tactics, which helped Cao Cao defeat the rival warlord Yuan Shao and his clan in the north. It was widely agreed that his numerous contributions laid the foundation of Cao Wei, the reason he was not promoted to the rank of a duke was only because of his fore-mentioned strategy to cope with the food shortage in Yan Province.

Zhong Yao (151–230) was a Chinese calligrapher and politician of Cao Wei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in modern Xuchang, Henan, he was at one time the Grand Administrator of Chang'an.

Following Cao Pi's death and Cao Rui taking the throne, Zhong Yao was appointed as a Grand Tutor of Wei in 226. As a student of Cai Yong, a famous calligrapher, he also contributed to the development of standard script (kaishu), and is known as the "father of standard script". His famous works include the Xuānshì Biǎo (宣示表), Jiànjìzhí Biǎo (薦季直表), and Lìmìng Biǎo (力命表), which survive through handcopies, including by Wang Xizhi. Qiú Xīguī (2000, p. 143) describes the script in Zhong’s Xuānshì Biǎo as:

Zhong Yao's son Zhong Hui was also a calligrapher and a general of the Wei who conquered Shu Han with Deng Ai.