The 4.9 magnitude quake was centered 55 miles northeast of the ancient Yunnan city of Dali, and caused the most damage near there as well as in Binchuan and Xiangyun counties.
The Yunnan Provincial Civil Affairs Department reports that 30,000 homes sustained at least some damage and that more than 430 head of livestock were killed due the shaking and collapsing structures.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 5:07 a.m. local time at a depth of about 22 miles.
A 5.7 magnitude quake near the same epicenter on July 9, 2009, killed one person and hundred 300 others.
That quake destroyed 10,000 houses and damaged 30,000 others, according to provincial officials.