Nanzhao, alternate spellings Nanchao and Nan Chao (Traditional Chinese: 南詔; Simplified Chinese: 南诏; pinyin: Nánzhāo; Tibetan: Jang) was a Bai kingdom that flourished in East Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries. It was centered around present-day Yunnan in China. Founding and ethnography Originally, there were several Bai tribes that settled on the fertile land around Erhai lake. These tribes were called Mengshe (蒙舍), Mengsui (蒙… (More on Nan-chao)