While most people view China as a single monolithic nation-state the Chinese view of themselves is a bit more complicated than that. All mainland Chinese citizens are classified as members of one of 56 ethnic groups (including one "undistinguished" category and one "nationalized" category). The majority of Chinese, about 91%, are Han Chinese (汉族) all of the 56 ethnic groups are members of the Zhonghua Minzu (中华民族). Some groups, like the Hui (回族) or the Miao/Hmong (苗族) people I have previously discussed here, are found almost exclusively in China others, like the Chinese Russians (俄罗斯族) or the Chinese Koreans (朝鮮族) have ethnic nation-states of their own. Some, like the Manchus, speak almost exclusively Mandarin Chinese (I believe there are about 10 native Manchu speakers left on Earth) while others, like some of the Maio I met and some of the Zhonghua Minzu of Sishuan, don't speak standard Mandarin at all. Most of the Zhonghua Minzu are proud Chinese, some however, most famously the Tibetans and the Uyghers, are actively pushing for independence from the PRC. 56 ethnic categories is a lot it actually doesn't cover the full extent of Chinese cultural difference, the Chinese Jews and the mix-race communities of Macau and Hong Kong don't have a formal ethnic grouping. While the Zhonghua Minzu are an interesting bunch it is actually quite hard to say anything meaningful about them as a group. Even though they are all Chinese, they all Chinese differently if that makes sense.
2 Comments
Dad
5/4/2017 08:24:57 am
Interesting how China is such a melting pot, but ultimately all those ethnic groups have little actual influence in a country that is 90% homogeneous Han. I give the government credit for recognizing all those other peoples, though
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5/4/2017 10:23:46 am
Some of the minority peoples are more influential than others. Hui are famous for producing some of China's best modern military leaders and the last Imperial Dynasty, the Qing, were actually Manchus, not Han. Others, like the Bai people, aren't that famous ether inside or outside of China.
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AuthorI am a junior at Juniata College spending a year studying abroad at East China Normal University. Please feel free to join my on my journey to China and beyond. Archives
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