Abstract: A survey of somatoscopic and anthropometric traits of 773 adults (379 males and 394 females) of Bouyei nationality between ages 20 and 55 years living in Guizhou was carried out in July 2003. Twenty2eight observations and 64 measurements were made on this sample of parents and grandparents.
The results of the survey are summarized as follows:
The average stature of Bouyei nationality males is 1 602142 mm, and females is 1 504104mm. In both of sexes ,arm span is longer than that stature. Most of the individuals belong to a mesocephalic body shape ,mesoproscopy for males, euryproscopy for females ,platyrrhiny. The stature of these people is sub2medium and short. The Bouyei nationality clearly belongs to the South Asian type of the Mongoloid race.
On a comparative basis of the Bouyei with 29 other minorities groups living in southern China, the physical character of the Bouyei is most closely related to the Zhuang in Guangxi, Li in Hainan, and is similar to those of the Tujia, Yao in Hunan, and Yi in Guangxi. It is remotely related to the Dong in Hunan, Maonan in Guizhou, and the Baiku Yao living in Libo county of Guizhou and Nandan county of Guangxi.

Key words: Somatoscopy; Anthropometry; Physical anthropology; Bouyei nationality