China has established a framework of legal protection of minority languages based on the Constitution，which provides sufficient protection to the right of ethnic minorities to use their own languages. The legal protection of minority languages should be based on the establishment of a balance between the need to protect the right of ethnic minorities to use their own language and the need to promote the use of the standard Chinese language. The Yi nationality is an ethnic minority in China that has a long history，a large population，and a language very different from that of the standard Chinese language. The development of the institutions and policies protecting the language of the Yi nationality fully demonstrates the importance attached by the Chinese government to the protection of minority languages in both legislation and practice and the balance between such protection and the need for economic development in minority areas.