Abstract: The physical characters of 394 adults ( 182 males, 212 females ) of Hui nationality living in Ningxia were investigated. The mean of 38 anthropometric items , 31 physical in- dices and the percentages of 7 somatoscopic items were calculated. A comparison among the data o f Hui and other nationalities in China w ere made. The results show ed that the physical characters o f Hui in Ningxia have both general characters of the Mongoloids and his ow n special features.

Key words: Somatoscopy, Anthropometry , Principal Component analysis, Hui nationlity , Ningxia