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China's 56 Ethnic Groups - Understanding China

China's 56 Ethnic Groups - Understanding China.

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China's 56 Ethnic Groups - Understanding China

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  1. China's 56 Ethnic Groups- Understanding China China officially registers 56 ethnic groups. The ethnic Chinese, known as the Han Chinese, make up 92 percent of the population. Han Chinese speak seven dialects, with Mandarin (‘Putonghua’ - which means "common speech“) -- being the official and most-used. Cantonese, which is spoken in Hong Kong and in China's other southern provinces, is the second most popular dialect. Most of the other 55 ethnic groups use their own dialects. All dialects use the one common written ideographic language. China's minorities account for a small 8 percent of the entire population. They live along the country's borders though some live on both sides. China has five Autonomous Regions for its minorities: Guangxi, Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia. China has high numbers of Chinese troops stationed in Tibet, Xinjiang and along the border provinces. The Western powers have attempted many times to separate these areas from China ever since the early 19th Century. The groups who pushed for independence of these territories are based in USA and U.K. supported mainly by the political parties. China was ruled by the Hans most of the time in the past, except in the Yuan Dynasty when the Mongols ruled for less than 100 years and in the Qing Dynasty when the Manchurians ruled for almost 300 years. The expansion of China territories is not by conquest, but incorporated as a result of China being conquered. The concept of China is defined by its ‘social system’ and not by territories. China's boundary today was solidified only in the early Qing Dynasty (early 17th Century) when the West started to impose their ideologies onto China and wanted to divide China to rule as colonist/imperialist powers. China evolved as a multi-cultural and multi-disciplined society for a few thousand years. All minorities in China today have equal rights as the Han Chinese. Since minorities reside in the remote areas and are usually poor, the Chinese government has a preference policy to provide training for the minorities to progress, govern and manage.  The Chinese would like to enjoy a peaceful and harmonious environment and definitely can accommodate all religions and nationalities if there is no foreign interference. Research powerpoint show by OeiHuiKiat and further developed and expanded by TohShung Kin, CLICK TO ADVANCE AND HAVE YOUR SPEAKERS ON (Click the color phrases for more information)

  2. Flag of the People's Republic of China The words for the national anthem were written by Tian Han, and the music was set by Nie Er in 1935. Originally known as the March of the Volunteers, it was the theme song of The Sons and Daughters in Times of Turmoil, a firm determination that depicted how Chinese intellectuals marched bravely to the front in the War of Resistance Against Japan during the Second World War. Sonorous, militant and inspiring, the song describes the wrath of the Chinese people agains imperialistic aggression and their determination to protect their motherland against foreign invaders. During the Second World War it was also sung by people of other countries who sympathized with the Chinese people in their anti-Japanese struggle. In 1949 it was appropriately chosen to be the national anthem of the People's Republic of China. (See the English translation of the lyric at the end of the show) An interpretation of the flag under a more historical context is that the four small stars represent the traditional four hierarchies (or classes) of people in the country, in the descending order of importance: Intellectuals (shì, 士), Farmers (nong, 农), Workers (gong工), and Businessmen (shang, 商) under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party which is represented by the main star. Another interpretation is that the main star represents the majority of the Han and each of the four small stars represents Man (Manchu), Meng (Mongolian), Hui (Muslim Hui) andCang (Tibetan).

  3. 1 汉族Han Population: 1.2 billion (within China). Han is an ethnic group native to China and, by most modern definitions, the largest single ethnic group in the world. Han Chinese constitute about 92 percent of the population of the People's Republic of China (mainland China), 98 percent of the population of the Republic of China (Taiwan), 75 percent of the population of Singapore, and about 20 percent of the entire global human population. An alternate name that many Chinese people use to refer to themselves is "Descendants of the Dragon" (Chinese: 龙的传人).

  4. 2 壮族 Zhuang Population: 15 millionLocation: Mainly in Guangxi, some in Guangdong, Guizhou, Yunnan and Hunan. Zhuang is the largest ethnic minority group in China. They settled in the Guangxi Autonomous Region and live on farming. Their tropical fruits and farming products are very famous. They have their own language based on Han Chinese. They also created a written language, which is still being used widely today. Every March, they have a big festival to celebrate folk dancing and singing.

  5. 3 满族 Man (Manchu) Population: 9.8 millionLocation: Northern China Manchu has a history of more than 2,000 years. They live mainly in Liaoning and East Northern China. Their ancestors mixed with Han Chinese, Mongolian and Koreans in their early settlement. They governed China for more than 300 years during the Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately, Qing brought great disaster to China. The Imperial Court failed to stop the Western powers invading China with their arms and opium. Thus they lost the ‘Mandate of Heaven’. It took the Han Chinese 80 years to clean up the mess and it was not till December 20 1999, that the last colony, Macao, reverted back to China from 500 years occupation by the Portuguese. The only Chinese land still under foreign occupation is Diaoyutai Island, which was given to Japan by America at the end of World War II.

  6. 4 回族Hui Population: 8.13 million Location: North-Western ChinaLanguage: Kuoyu (Mandarin)Religion: Islam The Hui have a long history of intermarriage with other nationalities and ethnic groups such as Arabs, Han Chinese, etc. They follow many Muslim rules and taboos, such as not eating pork. The men wear white or black skullcaps. Women cover themselves with white, black or green veils.  

  7. 苗族 Miao Population :  7.4 millionLocation :     Sichuan, Guizhou , YunnanReligion :      None Chinese historical records show that the Miao ethnic group used to live along the Yellow River, much earlier than any other ethnic group in China. Because of wars, and changes in the living environment, the Miao gradually established many tribes when they moved further south. These tribes have different lifestyles and types of costumes developed during cultural exchanges with other nationalities, while still maintaining their own. 5 There are 23 varieties of costumes, falling into five types more prevalent in western Hunan Province, southeastern Guizhou, in the region where Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces meet, and the Hainan Province. Among the five types, the popular styles in western Hunan Province, and eastern and southeastern Guizhou Province are typical and more distinguishable.

  8. 6 彝族 Yi Population:  6.6 millionLocation:  Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi Yi settled in the valley surrounded by mountains and streams. Yi have a beautiful language, which is still being used today. There are many historical records, literature, medication studies written in the Yi language. Yi live by farming and animal husbandry. Their traditional paintings, sculptures and silversmiths are very beautiful. The Fire Festival in June is a big day for Yi. Just like other minority groups, they are good in folk dancing and singing.

  9. 7 土家族Tujia Population:  5.7 millionLocation:  Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan Tujia's history can be traced back to 2,000 years ago. They have been living in Hunan and the neighboring provinces for years. They have their own language. Their ancestry has mixed with other minorities and Han since early days. Most of them know a few languages, including Han Chinese. They have no specific religion and worship "White Tiger" as their ancestor.

  10. 蒙古族Mongolian  Population:  5 millionLocation: Inner Mongolia and northern China.Religion: Tibetian Buddhism, Islam Mongolians led by Genghis Khan eventually conquered China under Kublai Khan, governed China and established the Yuan Dynasty (1846-1890) and they embraced the Chinese culture. They have their own language and three dialects. This is an example of Chinese ethos of belief: ‘whereas the barbarians conquered China by force of arm but China conquered the barbarians by the force of its culture’; and the Mongolians became accepted as part of being ‘Chinese’. Inner Mongolia is now an Autonomous Region in China. The Mongolians are mostly practitioners of Tibetian Buddhism and Islam. 8

  11. 藏族 Tibetan Population :  4.6 millionLocation :  TibetReligion:  Tibetan Buddhism Tibetans and Han Chinese have been living together for thousands of years. China‘s sovereignty over Tibet can be traced back to the 13th Century.   Before becoming an Autonomous Region in China, Tibet was a feudal serfdom characterized by the dictatorship of upper-class monks and nobles. The feudal lords who constituted only five percent of the population possessed 95 percent of the means of production. 9 Tibetan serfs were even more miserable than the black slaves in the United States before the Civil War. Tibet was at that time not peaceful at all because the struggles between the slaves and their lords were very fierce. There were no other religions allowed in Tibet. There is evidence that missionaries were killed in Tibet in the past. The British occupied Tibet for 50 days in 1904 and tried to annex it from China, then and even today together with the U.S. and other Commonwealth countries like Australia, N.Z. and Canada. Tibet is now an Autonomous Region in China. Tibetans enjoy the same freedom of religions, education and other rights as other Chinese.

  12. 10 布依族Buyi Population:  2.5 millionLocation:  Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi Buyi is the native ethnic group living in the highlands. They can be traced back to the Stone Age. They are mainly in farming and forest products. The have their own language but it is not widely used. Their ancient architecture is well-known and is a favourite for tourists. Their stone houses are unique and built upon the "Ying & Yang“ philosophical concept.

  13. 11 侗族Dong Population: 2.5 millionLocation: Guizhou, Guangxi, Hunan Dong live by farming and fishing. They have their own language and know Han Chinese well. They have a rich heritage in art and music. Their poetry is very famous. The most amazing architecture is the Drum Tower, which was built thousands of years ago, without using any nails or slots.

  14. 瑶族Yao Population:  2.1 millionLocation:   Guangxi,Hunan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou Yao originated in the vicinity of the Yangtze River and later moved south into the mountain areas in the Southern West of China. They have their own language but most of them know a few other languages. In the remote areas, some of them still keep their own religion and traditions, and live in very primitive conditions, hunting and farming. They are very good in dancing and music. 12

  15. 13 朝鲜族Chaoxian (Korean) Population:  2 millionLocation:  Jilin, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia Koreans moved into China about 300 years ago. They mainly live by farming. They brought with them their own language and traditions. Just like other Chinese, they respect elders and love their children. They have a very good educational system and excel especially in science and art.

  16. 14 白族Bai Population: 1.6 millionLocation:   Mostly in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan Bai is a very old ethnic group in China. Dali, in Yunnan, is their capital. They are very good in science, architecture, medication and literature. They live mainly by farming and fishing. They have their own language but also know Han Chinese very well. Dali is now a well-known tourist area for its famous architecture, temples, sculpture, visual arts, etc.

  17. 15 哈尼族Hani Population:  1.25 millionLocation:   Yunnan Hani live by farming, usually 800 to 2500 above sea level, high in the mountain areas. They are very good in creating terraced farming fields on the slopes of hills with a unique watering system. They have their own language but have no specific religion. They do worship nature and ancestors. Their New Year starts in October.

  18. 16 黎族Li Population: 1.11 millionLocation: Hainan Li are the natives of Hainan island and can be traced back to the Stone Age. They live by farming and have the earliest weaving technology in Chinese history. The technology was then transferred to mainland China in the Tang/Song Dynasties. Li has no written language and use Han Chinese.

  19. 17 哈萨克族Hasake (Kazakh) Population: 1.1 millionLocation: Xinjiang Kazakh settled in the north of Xinjiang. They live by animal husbandry and farming. They have their own language and believe in Islam. They are well-known throughout China for their beautiful songs and dancing.

  20. 18 傣族Dai Population: 1 millionLocation: Yunnan Dai is one of the larger minority groups in Yunnan. Their own language is very close to India. All the history and literature were recorded in Dai. They live by farming and have many tropical plants. Their new year starts in June. The Water Splashing Festival falls during the New Year of the Dai Calendar. It is not only the first Buddhist festival of a new year, but also the most important festival observed by the Dai.

  21. 19 维吾尔族 Weiwuer Population :  0.7 millionLocation:   XinjiangReligion:    Muslims Xinjiang is a Uygur Autonomous Region. It is the largest region in China, covering one sixth of China's total land area. A great deal of it is desert and mountain. Weiwuer love dancing, singing and playing their own unique musical instruments. They are hospitable people. Visitors are often invited to taste sweet grapes, melons and plums, drink tea, and join in their lively dancing.

  22. 20 畲族 She Population: 630,000Location: Fujian, Zhejiang Over the years, 'She' has spread into several provinces along the east coast. They live by farming. They have their own language but use Han Chinese. They are very artistic and use bamboo to make furniture, decorations and many other products.

  23. 21 傈僳族Lisu Population: 575,000Location: Yunnan Lisu migrated into the Yunan area since the 8th Century. They live by hunting, obtaining forest products and minerals. They have their own language and wear traditional clothes. Lisu are very friendly and open to other people.

  24. 22 仡佬族 Gelao Population: 438,000Location: Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan Gelao is a very old ethnic group in Guizhou. They live by farming and have their own language. Most of the Gelao however, now use Han Chinese. They worship old trees and have a very unique "tree culture“.

  25. 23 拉祜族 Lahu Population: 415,000Location: Yunnan Lahu settled in the tropical mountain areas. They live by farming and have a forest industry. They have their own language but most of them use the Han Chinese and Dai languages. Their written language was greatly influenced by the missionaries from the West in the late 19th Century. They like dancing and music. Girls favor dark-colored clothes as traditional fashion.

  26. 高山族 Gaoshan Population: 400,000Location: Fujian, Taiwan Gaoshan settled in Taiwan’s mountain areas for centuries. Some of them migrated to the east coast of mainland China. They have 15 languages, some of them are close to the languages used in Indonesia. They live by farming. Gaoshan people are organized into communes and everyone in the communes has clear responsibilities. 24

  27. 25 东乡族 Dongxiang Population: 374,000Location: Gangsu, Qinghai, Ningxia Religion: Islam Dongxiang has the same language as Mongolia. They are Muslims and maintain all the Islamic traditions. They are very friendly and like dancing, singing and other social activities. They live by farming. Most of them speak Han Chinese.

  28. 26 佤族 Wa Population: 352,000Location: Yunnan Wa settled in this area a few thousand years ago. They live by farming and hunting. In this area, there are many forest products and animals such as tiger, bear, deer and elephant. Their language is close to the languages used in Burma and other neighboring South-East Asian countries.

  29. 27 水族 Shui Population: 346,000Location: Guizhou Shui is a native in Guizhou. They live mainly by farming. They have an old language with 400 words and only use them for religious activities. They also have their own calendar. September is the starting of a new year. They are very good in painting and have a 700 year-old history of diet technology.

  30. 28 纳西族 Naxi Population: 278,000Location: Yunnan Naxi migrated from Qing Hai to Yunnan a long time ago. They live by farming and forest industry. The forests there are unspoiled and can be a good place for adventure and research. There are a few thousand different types of flora in these forests.. Naxi have their own language but often use Han Chinese.

  31. 29 羌族 Qiang Population: 198,000Location: Sichuan Qiang have settled in Sichuan and Tibet for more than 3,000 years. They live by farming and hunting. They have a very old written language but it is now lost and they use the Han language instead. There are many archaeological remains that show the superior structure of the buildings constructed by Qiang.

  32. 30 土族 Tu Population: 192,000Location: Qinghai Tu settled in Qing Hai. They lived by animal husbandry and now mainly live by farming. They have a few dialects and also use Han Chinese or the Tibetan language They believe in the Dalai Lama. Tu have the longest festival season and they like dancing and music.

  33. 31 仫佬族 Mulao Population: 159,000Location: Guangxi Mulao settled in the mountain areas. They live by farming and mining. In their area, there are rich minerals and coal mining is one of the major industries. They have their own language but most of them know Han Chinese very well. They believe in Taoism and Buddhism.

  34. 32 柯尔克孜族 Keerkezi(Khalkh) Population: 140,000Location: Xinjiang Khalkh migrated from Mongolia. They mixed with Uighur and Kazakh. They have their own language but also know Uighur, Kazakh and Han Chinese. They are Muslims and live by farming and animal husbandry. Their literature is very famous and they like dancing and music.

  35. 33 景颇族 Jingpo Population: 119,000Location: Yunnan Jingpo settled in the high mountains. They live by farming and forestry. Their products include red wood, rubber, coffee, tea and many other tropical products. They have five dialects and use a mixture of these in different situations.

  36. 撒拉族 Sala Population: 88,000Location: Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang Sala migrated to this area from Middle Eastern countries. They settled along the Yellow River and live by farming. They have their own dialect but have no written language. They believe in Islam and maintain Islamic beliefs and traditions. 34

  37. 35 锡伯族 Xibo Population: 84,000Location: Xinjiang, Liaoning, Jilin Some of the Xibo moved from the North-East to the North-West in the early 18th Century. They were part of the Qing army stationed in the West of China. The date of the migration is still a big memorial day for them. They now still maintain their own written language and live by farming. Some of them believe in the Dalai Lama and other religions. Xibo are good at horse riding.

  38. 36 布朗族 Bulang Population: 82,000Location: Yunnan Bulang settled in the high mountain areas. They live by farming, and tea is one of the major products. There are also many other tropical products. They have their own language and some of them also use Han Chinese, Dai and Wat languages.

  39. 达斡尔族 Dawoer Population: 80,000Location: Inner Mongolia Dawoer mainly settled in Inner Mongolia. They live by animal husbandry. They have their own language but they also know other languages such as Han Chinese, Mongolia and Uighur. it was claimed that Henry Pu Yi's mistress was actually a Dawoer. Another Dawoer who used a Mongol designation was Ulanhu. He was former Vice-Chairman of the 37 "达斡尔少年把小鹿姐姐"团团围住People's Repubilc of China, Vice-Premier of the State Counciland Chairman of the People's Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and was also concurrently the first President of Inner Mongolia University. (from Inner Mongolia University site)

  40. 38 毛难族 Maonan Population: 72,000Location: Guangxi Maonan are the natives of Guangxi. They live by farming and animal husbandry. Cattle farming is a big industry for them. They have their own spoken language but no written language. Most of them know Zhang and Han Chinese.

  41. 39 塔吉克族Tajige (Tajik) Population: 33,500Location: Xinjiang Tajik is one of the oldest minority groups in China. They settled on the main route of the "Silk Road" and benefitted from the cultural exchanges with the West since the early days. They have their own language and believe in Islam. They live by farming, animal husbandry and hunting. They are good at horse riding. The eagle is their heroic symbol.

  42. 40 普米族Pumi Population: 30,000Location: Yunnan Pumi moved to Yunan from the north in the 13th century. They live by farming. Their culture is influenced by many others such as Tibet, Burma, Bai and Han Chinese. Most of them use Han Chinese. They have their own religion but some of them believe in the Dalai Lama or Taoism.

  43. 41 阿昌族Achang Population: 28,000Location: Mostly in Yunnan Achan is the earliest native in Yunnan. They settled in the valley and live by farming. They have their own language but most of them can speak Han Chinese, Dai and other languages. They have a very unique native dress and the girls wear beautiful silver necklaces and rings.

  44. 42 怒族Nu Population: 27,000Location: Yunnan and Tibet Nu settled in a very remote area and live in very poor conditions. They have their own language but use Lisu and Han Chinese also. From the 17th century on, Bai, Naxi and Tibetan rulers governed the Nu area simultaneously. In addition, the newly immigrated Lisu headmen also oppressed the Nu People, usurping the Nu people's land and sometimes carried many of them off as slaves.   In 1949, the People's LiberationArmy liberated the region peacefully and it was agreed upon that their official name would become Nu Ethnic Minority . They have caught up with other minority groups only in the last 50 years.

  45. 43 鄂温克族Ewenke (Ewenki) Population: 26,300Location: Inner Mongolia Ewenki settled in Inner Mongolia and along the Heilongjiang. They are mixed with Mongolian, Han Chinese and Olunchun. They use Mongolian or the Han Chinese language and believe in Tibetan Buddhism. They live by farming and hunting. Their tradition is close to that of the Mongolians.

  46. 44 京族Jing (Vietnamese) Population: 8,900Location: Guangxi Jing immigrated into China 400 years ago and settled down in Guangxi. They live by fishing -fishery is the main industry for them. They have their own language but know Han Chinese well. Catholicism and Taoism are the main religions of the Jing.

  47. 基诺族Jinuo Population: 18,000Location: Yunnan Jinuo settled on Jinuo Mountain and live by farming. Their tea is very famous. Their society was very backward and still stayed at a very primitive stage until the 16th century. They have their own religion and dialect but no written language. All Jinuo's women are good at weaving and making clothes. 45

  48. 46 德昂族Deang Population: 15,400Location: Yunnan Deang are the oldest ethnic group in Yunnan. They are very close to Dai. They have their own language and use Dai, Jingpo and Han Chinese. Tea is their main product. They are very good silversmiths. 

  49. 俄罗斯族Eluosi(Russian) Population: 13,500Location: Xinjiang Eluosi moved into China in the 18th and 19th centuries. They maintain their own language, religion and tradition. They live by farming, gardening and fishing. Art and education are especially important to the Eluosi (their educational level is better than average). 47 Most of them use Han Chinese for communication.

  50. 48 乌孜别克族Wuzibieke (Uzbek) Population: 1 2,000Location: Xinjiang Uzbek migrated from Mongolia. They mixed with Uighur and Kazakh. They have their own language but also know Uighur , Kazakh and Han Chinese. They are Muslims and live mainly by farming and trading.

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