The formation and growth of Yi Civil Corps of the CPLA ( Chinese People ’ s Lib-eration Army ) Chengdu military region began and developed with the establishment of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture .From the beginning to the end of its 34 year mission of military develop-ment the Yi Civil Corps made an irreplaceable con-tribution to the liberation of the people and the e-conomic development in Liangshan .However , due to various reasons , this unique historical episode which linked the military and civil people only re-mains in folk memory and was recorded only in some unpublished internal materials .So, the ma-jority of the public does not know about it .Based upon references taken from publications by Liang Wenying , Mao Junru , Li Shian and the Chinese Academy of Sciences , this article , for the first time, discusses the special military history of the CPLA by taking Yi Civil Corps as an example . After the CPLA liberated Liangshan in March , 1950 , in order to maintain local social or-der, speed up production and construction , and cultivate ethnic cadres , Liao Zhigao , the Party secretary of Sichuan province of the time , together with the Party Committee in Tibetan and Yi re-gions, established the Yi and Tibetan Civil Corps of the CPLA in November 1952.They did this by taking into account the reality and characteristics of ethnic works in the Tibetan and Yi regions , and af-ter reporting to the central military commission for approval .The establishment of Yi Civil Corps adds a new historical page for the glorious history of the Yi people .Just like the establishment of all levels of governments of the Yi people , it marks a new beginning in the lives of the Yi people .It declareda revival for the Yi people who had experienced great vicissitudes , the separation of their family clans, constant internal warfare , and who were generally in a poor and backward situation .The establishment of the Yi Civil Corps not only em-bodied the Chinese Communist Party ’ s policy of ethnic equality and unity , but also was a concrete manifestation of the Yi people ’ s becoming the masters in the local region . In the aspect of political life , the Yi Civil Corps was established from the start as a “ produc-tion team, fighting force and school for cultivating cadres”.It can be said that cultivating ethnic ca-dres was one of main purposes for the establish-ment of the ethnic armed forces .After the estab-lishment of Yi civil corps in 1952, a large number of demobilized Yi cadres had been sent to the local places .These cadres came from the lower class of the Yi people or even from the slave class .Howev-er, they had received education , mostly about Marxism -Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought , when they were in the army .Hence , they were willing to become the strong supporters and practi-tioners of the communist party ’ s “ethnic work”. Seen from the statistical data , by 1959 , the Yi Civil Corps had constantly sent 657 ethnic cadres to local places .These cadres knew the local lan-guage, and were familiar with the ethnic customs . In addition , they knew the Chinese Communist Party ’ s ethnic policies very well , and could com-municate effectively with Han people .Therefore, they made an irreplaceable contribution to the pro-motion of the Party ’ s “ethnic work”.It can be said that they were the first group of people who were trained both for the army and civil work in lo-cal places in the Liangshan Yi area during the ear-ly years of New China .The teaching , assisting and leading of the experienced Han cadres was another advantage for the growth of Yi cadres .The Yi Civil Corps was mainly composed of Han , Yi , Tibet-an, Hui and Miao people .Among the eight suc-cessive leaders of the Yi civil corps , only one was from the Han nationality .All of the cadres and sol-diers of the Yi Civil Corps came from 20 prov-inces, municipalities, and autonomous regions of the whole country . Nineteen cadres who once worked in Yi Civil Corps later became members of the leadership in various administrative levels of the military . With regard to cultural communication , the Yi Civil Corps, as a group which included both Han and Yi people , played a fundamental role in pro-moting cultural exchanges between the Han and Yi people.It was considered part of normal life that the Yi and Han commanders learned from each other.It was not only the Han people who learned the language and the customs of the Yi , but more importantly, the Yi commanders learned Chinese and Han culture , and spread it to various Yi are-as.This played a key role in grass -roots cultural communication between the Yi and Han people . The Yi Civil Corps was equipped with special cul-tural teachers who taught the Yi soldiers how to speak and write Chinese , as well as to learn the new Yi script .The Yi officers and soldiers were so passionate about learning cultural knowledge that some of them silently recited what they had learned in classes while walking about .Many officers and soldiers who were on night duty , would study their lessons for a while after they returned from their guard duty . There was also a class specially opened for cadres to learn culture knowledge so as to improve their cultural level .Many learners took off the cap of illiteracy , and some of them even could read the Soldier News independently .This not only played a positive role in eradicating super-stitions , and transforming bad custums and habits , but also , more importantly , cultivated a largenumber of grass -root cadres who could use both the pen and gun . With regard to economic development , since 1959, the Yi Civil Corps began to “transform from countering insurgency to production”.The troops cleared a large amount of farmland , and through grain production , growing vegetables and raising livestock they not only could feed themselves , but could also support local construction .The most im-portant thing is that the Yi commanders had con-tacted and learned relatively advanced production technology during the production campaign , and they spread the technology to the Yi masses .This, in turn , made a great contribution to the economic development of the Liangshan area . With regard to the maintenance of social or-der, the Yi Civil Corps had the advantage of know-ing the local language and customs , being familiar with the geographical situation and having close contact with the local people .So, they could co-operate with other forces to quell any armed rebel-lion immediately , thereby maintaining the social order of Yi area , and promoted democratic reform smoothly .The Yi Civil Corps made use of the the fact that there were a great number of Yi soldiers who knew local customs and conditions of the Yi people .Using the approach of visiting and conso-ling the poor , they spread the policies and regula-tions of the Party and the government , as well as the glorious tradition and the fine style of work of the CPLA under the leadership of the CPC to the Yi people .By using these strategies more Yi peo-ple knew more about the CPC and the CPLA .The Yi Civil Corps used their own behavior to forge a close relationship between the army and the peo-ple.This then attracted more Yi youth to join the army and become members of the local military or-ganizations .During the fights to quell the rebel-lions and defend the democratic reforms , the armed force, of which the Yi Civil Corps was its main body , had become an indispensable impor-tant pillar in stabilizing the social order of Liangs-han , defending the achievements of democratic re-forms, maintaining the socialist system , and pro-moting the development of Liangshan society . As an important part of the CPLA , there is no doubt that the military forces of the ethnic minori-ties played an important role in implementing “eth-nic work”.Taking the Yi Civil Corps as an exam-ple , it played an important and fundamental role in opening the “ethnic work” in Yi region, and pro-moting ethnic trust and mutual communication . Firstly, in the early period of “ethnic work” in ethnic areas , the army had to pay special attention to its role in cultivating ethnic cadres .Secondly , the specific armed forces of ethnic minorities could play a huge role in the early stages of “ethnic work”.However , its importance would gradually be reduced with the development of “ethnic work”.Thirdly, the development and growth of the future military should not only depend on the ethnic minority commanders ’ learning Han cul-ture, but should also depend on the Han com-manders ’ strengthening their understanding of the ethnic minority regions . As an ethnic minority military force estab-lished in the early years of the New China , the Yi Civil Corps was not an isolated phenomenon;it co-existed with the Tibetan Civil Corps in Tibet and the ethnic force in Xinjiang .As representatives of the ethnic forces in the early years of New China , they made great contributions to subdue the remai-ning bandits , and quell the rebellions .In the later times, they played a large role in promoting ethnic communication , enhancing ethnic emotions , and maintaining national unity .Therefore, it can be said that the ethnic minority military forces made agreat contribution to our country ’ s ethnic work .