List of ethnic groups in China

As China's peoples more than 90 ethnic groups are referred to, of which 70 are officially recognized as nationalities. In addition to the Han Chinese, the majority population throughout China filters ( nearly 92 % of the total population), are the other 55 nationalities in the People's Republic of China and 14 other nationalities in the Republic of China. These 69 nations have a status that comes close to the European definition of a national minority, ie they have a legal status that is associated with the guarantee of certain rights, inter alia, in the field of education and language support. It is immaterial whether the national minority ethnic and the national people of another state forms (for example, Mongols, Koreans, Kazakhs, Vietnamese), whether she lives as a minority in several countries ( for example, the Lisu in China, Myanmar, Thailand and India, the Jingpo and Va is located in China and Myanmar) or as a closed ethnic group only in China ( for example, the Salar, Naxi and She ).

In addition to these 70 recognized nationalities include not more than 20 officially recognized ethnic groups (for example, Sherpa, Khmu and Siraya ) to the peoples of China.

The traditional territories of China's ethnic minorities ( nationalities recognized and non-recognized ethnic groups) together comprise more than 60% of China's surface. Only 18 of them have a population that exceeds the one million mark.

• 4.1 Ethnic groups that are not recognized as a distinct nationalities
• 4.2 Ethnic groups that are not recognized as nationalities 4.2.1 Special case: Chinese Jews
• 4.2.2 Special case: Guizhou Province
• 4.2.3 List of unrecognized as nationalities nations and ethnic groups in China

Terms

Chinese

The term "Chinese" is different in the Germans did not clearly distinguish between nationals of China and members of the Han nationality, or " ethnic Chinese ". In Chinese, however, are for the " Chinese " as a citizen (Chinese中国 人/中国 人, Pinyin Zhōngguórén, man of the middle land ') and the " ethnic Chinese " (汉族 人/汉族 人, Hànzúrén or汉人/汉人, Hànrén, human of the Han people ") are two completely different concepts used. The term "Chinese" (in the sense of Zhōngguórén ) thus contains no ethnic ascription.

Minzu

The Chinese term minzu (民族Chinese ) covers a range of meanings, which is in European languages ​​of several words: nation, nation, nationality, ethnic group, ethnic group, ethnic group. For example, the term Zhonghua minzu (Chinese中华民族) has two transmission options: 1) the "Chinese nation "; 2) the " peoples ( nationalities ) of China." Since the construction of "Chinese nation " the sum of all " peoples of China" presupposes the meanings of both translations ultimately fall together in a. Connected to a specific ethnonym replaced this the sign min (people, people, people ) and is now with the remaining to ( clan, clan, lineage ) as a specifically named "nationality ", for example hanzu (Chinese汉族) as the " Han - nationality ", Miaozu (Chinese苗族) as the" Miao "or Ewenke to (Chinese鄂温克 族) as the" Evenki - nationality ".

Shaoshu minzu

In the People's Republic of China are the "non- Han" summarily with the term shaoshu minzu (Chinese少数民族/少数民族) denotes what can be translated as " minority peoples " or " minority nationalities ". Due to the associated with the recognition as minzu legal status, the term national minority is quite justifiable. When the term is used, however, the Chinese non-specific, he usually closes the non-recognized ethnic groups with. Then in the translation is the more general term preferred "ethnic minorities ". The problem with the German term is that it represents the fact of a related throughout China quantitative majority of Han Chinese into the foreground. However, the ethnic minorities represent in many places - locally or regionally - the majority of the population.

Yuanzhu min

In the Republic of China has become the most (only for Taiwan), the collective name Yuanzhu min (Chinese原住民, German natives). Previously, terms such as shandi Tongbao (Chinese山地 同胞, mountain compatriots ), tuzhu minzu (Chinese土著 民族, dt indigenous peoples ), Xianzhu min (Chinese先 住民, dt Ersteinwohner ) or Gaoshan to (高山族Chinese, German peoples of high mountains ) common and widespread. The term "Native American " is specifically designed for ethnic minorities Taiwan appropriate since it reflects the fact that their colonization of Taiwan ended 3000 to 4000 years before the arrival of the first Han Chinese. However, they came from mainland China, ie the meaning of "original " in " Native " is quite relative. Taiwan is thus similar to the situation in the USA and Australia, although the beginnings of colonization by the Han back here are significantly longer than the settlement of North America and Australia by Europeans. In mainland China, however, one can define the " non-Han " not generally with the term "Native American " or even " indigenous peoples " of the Han, as well as the Han almost everywhere in China "Native American " or " Indigenous " are. Even to speak with the Tibetans of " natives " would indeed be literally true, but would have the wrong connotation, since they represent a majority of their traditional settlement area, in particular in Tibet continues to be the overwhelming majority. Some ethnic groups in the People's Republic, for example, the Russians and the Salar could (as immigrants) not at all, while others - only a very limited extent as a "Native American " or " Indigenous " means - for example, the Koreans. Even a term such as " border people" does not apply to all, as the settlement areas of many groups run through the settlements of the Han like a patchwork quilt.

Coexistence of peoples past and present

Already in the process of its development, China has become as ethnically and culturally heterogeneous state. The unification by the First Emperor of Qin in 221 BC let it disappear not only different countries, they also incorporated different peoples with different languages ​​and cultures in one state. This set the stage for the ethnogenesis of the Han Chinese, the majority population of China today emerged. But not all populations were part of this process. Not only at the edges of the Middle Kingdom, which greatly expanded already during the Han dynasty, but also in its interior regionally autonomous, ethnically and culturally indigenous people could preserve and develop. Among the historical peoples of China, who were also involved in the formation and development of today's ethnic diversity of the country, include inter alia - to name just a few of the most important: Ding Ling, Fufuluo, Gaoche, Huihe, Minyue, Nanyue, Qidan and Black Qidan, Rouran, Ruzhen ( Jurchen ), Saken, Sushen, Tabgatsch, Tangut, Tiele, Tocharians, Tujue, Tuyuhun, Wuhu, Wuhuan, Wusun, Xianbei, Xiongnu, Xueyantuo, Yelang, Yuezhi. Some of them, such as the Tabgatsch ( Northern Wei Dynasty), Qidan ( Liao Dynasty ) and Ruzhen ( Jin Dynasty ) ruled in their kingdoms more early Han Chinese as members of their own ethnic groups. There were even two Chinese dynasties that controlled the entire country and its rulers were members of ethnic minorities, the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) of the Mongols and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) of the Manchu ( manju ). They all understood themselves not as " foreign dynasties ," as they like to be called by the Europe -centered historiography yet, but as the primary representative of the " concept of China" (Chinese中国/中国, pinyin Zhōngguó, the Midlands ') within the meaning of the "Middle ". Regardless of the ethnicity of the Chinese imperial family groups were repeatedly suppressed due to their belonging to ethnically defined or ethnically defining communities, distributed, tracked and fought in all dynasties in Chinese history.

It was only after the founding of PRC, the equality of all nationalities in China was enshrined in the constitution. Today, there is only the right to autonomy numerous measures of positive discrimination of the "National Minorities": Bilingual instruction is widely used today, even enshrined in law in the quantitative great peoples with their own written language. Persons belonging to national minorities are generally exempt from the one-child policy and must get at least two children in each case. In rural, sparsely populated areas and quantitatively very small nationalities, there are regional and even local regulations, some allow a lot more children per family. The censuses of 1982, 1990 and 2000 have therefore a much higher population growth than the Han Chinese found in almost all the national minorities of China. By fixed quotas to national minorities are over-represented in politics of China. Your percentage of the deputies to the NPC and the people's congresses at the lower levels, to the members of the CPPCC and the Consultative Conferences at the lower levels and even to the delegates of the party days of the CCP is regularly higher than their population share. Many Chinese leaders are members of ethnic minorities. The highest office reached the Mongol Ulanhu, who was from 1983 to 1988 Vice - President of the PRC.

The changing political history of the PRC, however, often had a negative impact on relations with the Han Chinese majority. Although Han Chinese and ethnic minorities from the negative consequences of the Great Leap Forward (1958 /59) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976 ) were equally affected, so these political movements were still predominantly perceived by non-Han as something that the ethnic majority forced upon them. As a result, growing ethnic tensions and ethnic conflicts occurred frequently.

In the part still sparsely populated border regions of China (Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia), the influx of Han Chinese from the locals is criticized partly violently. In some of their traditional territories in which they still represent the majority of the population, these nationalities are now threatening regionally or locally to become a minority. The PRC government founded the Han Chinese migration in border areas with the economic development of unused resources. Especially representatives of Tibetans in exile and exile Uyghur suspect behind action against separatist movements in their regions.

List of 70 recognized as nationalities of China's peoples

The listing is in alphabetical order. The " official name " of the PR of China GB / T 3304-1991 (中国 各 民族 名称 的 罗马 字母 拼写 法 和 代码, Zhōngguó gè Minzu MINGCHENG de Luómǎ zìmǔ pīnxiěfǎ hé dàimǎ ).

1 date of the census was November 1, 2010, 0:00 clock. The census took place, with the exception of Hong Kong and Macao in all areas rather than where the government of the PRC under effective administrative power, eg not in Taiwan, Penghu, Jinmen, Mazu, Taiping, Dongsha and southeastern Tibet. For the areas where the census was not conducted or was following population figures were calculated for the date ( an ethnic breakdown did not occur ): Hong Kong: 7.0976 million; Macau: 552 300; all areas under control of the authorities of Taiwan: 23,162,123; Southeast Tibet: no details.

Not recognized as a ( separate ) nations nationalities and ethnic groups in China

In China, there are numerous ethnic groups that were not officially recognized by one of the two Chinese governments. So are not recognized by the Government of the Republic of China as a nationality but instead considered as Han Chinese Muslim faith as the Hui. For all non-recognized ethnic groups that they do not řén in Chinese after the ethnonym with the addition zú (Chinese族) for " nationality", but with the addition (Chinese人) for "People" are referred to. In principle, however, we must distinguish "non- recognition" between two variants of: Some ethnic groups are indeed recognized as part of a nationality, but not as a separate nationality. Other ethnic groups are in general not (yet) recognized as a nationality. In the census of the year 2000 734.438 people have been counted in this second category in the PRC. In the Republic of China, the population of the eleven non-recognized Native American groups is estimated to be about 100,000.

Ethnic groups that are not recognized as a distinct nationalities

Some of these ethnic groups were - Nationality assigned a "wrong " and want to be associated with another, already existing nationality either constituted as a separate nationality, or - from the perspective of some of its representatives. In this category we offer are the Abdal ( officially Uyghur ), the Mosuo ( officially part of Naxi, some Mongols ), the Baima ( officially Tibetans ), the Gejia (家人, officially Miao ) and the Kucong ( officially Lahu ).

Other ethnic groups were assigned to emphatic own request of one nationality to which they do not belong from an anthropological and historical perspective. These include, for example, the Tuvan in Xinjiang, who wanted to be part of the Mongols and the Yao and stay on the island of Hainan, which were determined to belong to the Miao. Others, particularly small groups, such as the Qiakala have resigned to the fact a large nationality to be here the Manchu attributed. The same applies to the Utsul (or Hutsul or Utsat, a migrated to China group of Cham ), which were officially classified as numerous other local groups as Muslim Hui. In a way, you can omit the sub-groups of some large nations include China in this category. Thus, for example, Buryat and Oirat outside China independent nations, but both are within China to the Mongols to have ever questioned without this. The same applies to the Tay and Nung, who are independent peoples of Vietnam, located in China but. , As a people, the Zhuang consider

A special case the members of the numerous sub-groups of the Han nationality represents the majority of them consider themselves as Han Chinese and at the same time as members of a distinct subgroup. But some, such as the Chuanqing in Anshun, Guizhou Province, are committed to being recognized as a minority nationality. Other major ethnic groups within the Han nationality, for example:

• The Hakka (Chinese客家人, Pinyin Kèjiārén ) in Guangdong, Fujian, Taiwan, Jiangxi, Sichuan and Hainan;
• The Hoklo (Chinese福佬 人, Pinyin Fúlǎorén ) in Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong and Hainan;
• The Tanka (Chinese蜑 家人, Pinyin Dànjiārén ) in Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Hainan and Zhejiang;
• The Lingao (Chinese临 高人, Pinyin Língāorén ) in a circle Lingao of Hainan Province and the adjoining counties;
• The cun (Chinese村人, Pinyin Cunren ) in the city in the Autonomous District Dongfang and Changjiang Hainan province;
• The Waxiang (Chinese瓦 乡人, Pinyin Wǎxiāngrén ) in Yuan Ling, Jishou, Chenxi, Guzhang and Zhangjiajie in western Hunan Province.

Ethnic groups that are not recognized as nationalities

Both Chinese governments, the People's Republic and the Republic of China, pursue towards ethnic minorities to the " recognition", though according to different criteria and, of course, on the basis of different ethnic realities of the respective areas under their administration. While the condition of the lack of recognition in the Republic of China has no special meaning and the groups concerned - as the recognition of missing - are simply part of the majority population, they are in the People's Republic of China is a status that is recorded separately in the periodic censuses and thus has an official character. It means that the state officially recognizes that the particular ethnic group no existing nationality belongs. This status is easier to accept for most sufferers, as the mapping to an existing nationality with which they do not identify themselves little or at all. Thus, for example, the Gejia and Chuanqing strive hard to get to this state or to gain it back. However, there are also differences: one can assume that, for example in Caijia, Hu and Songjia will occur over the next few years, the assignment to an existing nationality. In contrast, the status, for example, for Deng, Khmu, Mang and Sherpa has quite apparently permanent character, which enables them at the provincial level ( here: Tibet and Yunnan ) equated with the recognized minority nationalities.

Special case: Chinese Jews

A special case the Jews in China (Chinese犹太人, Pinyin Youtairen ) dar. In the People's Republic of China are they about 1700 people (of which only about 1000 in Hong Kong), the Republic of China about another 200 people. Some Jews had applied for recognition as a distinct nationality in the 1950s and again in the 1980s. This was rejected. Many descendants of the Chinese Jews classify apparently now even as Han or Hui. However, some appear on the status to be classified into not exist. So it can be assumed that it is. Among the 30 people who were given the status of " not classified " according to the census in 2000 in Kaifeng awarded to Jews or descendants of Jews acted The same is probably true for some of the " non-classified " people in Shanghai, Harbin and some other cities.

Special case: Guizhou Province

In the censuses of 1982, 1990 and 2000, respectively 748 080, 733 400 and 710 486 people were classified as " ethnic unclassified " alone in Guizhou Province. These were 93.5 %, 97.5 % and 96.74 % of all people of this category throughout the People's Republic. While not officially recognized ethnic groups in Tibet ( Deng and Sherpa ) or Yunnan ( Mang, Khmu and Hu) are mentioned in Chinese publications and over again in detail and describes information about such a large quantity Guizhou groups are usually kept rather sparse and scarce. One of the reasons for this may be the view of the Chinese government to have the " special case Guizhou " solved no later than the Census ( November 2010), ie to drastically reduce the number of people who have not officially recognized nationality, to a degree, which is also found in other provinces average. In this and the various non-recognized ethnic groups most closely related ( or for other reasons " matching" ) already recognized nationalities are assigned. In 1981 there were 23 ethnic groups in Guizhou still without an official assignment to a nationality. They were:

The vast majority of these classifications proceeded with the consent of each affected population and were also accepted. All that remains are four problems:

• Up to 1140 persons concerned in the special area Liuzhi that were classified at his own request in October 1989 as members of the Yi nationality, about 20,000 Caijia Guizhou continue to be without official ethnicity.
• The Songjia (宋 家人) in Wudang, Kaiyang, Xiuwen, Longli and Guiding have submitted an application for classification only in the 2000s, has not yet decided on the. Under discussion are the assignment to the Miao, the Bouyei or the Han.
• The 40,000 Gejia are so unhappy that they continue to fight for its recognition as a distinct nationality with their classification as Miao. Whether they are " not classified " as " Miao " or as the Census in November 2010 filed remains to be seen.
• The over 600,000 Chuanqing have been unwilling to accept their classification as Han Chinese. They made at the 2000 census, the vast majority of " non-classified " in Guizhou from. Should they be counted as "Han" in the census in November 2010, the number of " unclassified " in Guizhou would definitely fall below 100,000.

Within Guizhou concentrated at the 2000 census, the vast majority of " non-classified " in a few counties, county -level cities and city districts. Especially in Zhijin, Nayong and Dafang these are almost completely around Chuanqing.

In addition to these - and by the census - obvious problems and unresolved issues of ethnic classification in Guizhou, it seems also to give a few not -so-obvious problems. As an example we mention the alleged "Li" population Guizhou. In the census of the year 2000 56.082 alleged "Li" were counted in Guizhou. This number can vote impossible. The Li are the indigenous people of the island province of Hainan, and have left their island home in comparatively small numbers before and after the founding of the PRC. Of course, the number of population movements increases in a modern society and so draw of course Li in increasing numbers for professional or personal reasons ( marriage) in other provinces. Thus, the 316 Li, which are taken according to census 2000 in Sichuan province, or even the 1426 Li, who live in the province of Yunnan, seriously. The number of Guizhou is but - calculated cautious - at least 50 times too high. This puzzle is relatively easy to solve: In the name specified in the table above the 23 unclassified groups of 1981 70,000 Limin Li for the ethnonym and min just stands for "people", " people ". Although the "real" Li of Hainan write with the character黎, the Guizhou Limin, however (actually ) with the characters里, but a comparison of the main settlements of the Limin ( Qinglong, Guanling, Zhenning, Shuicheng ) with the circles in which the most people live, who managed to be classified as Li, leads to the conclusion that these two groups are likely to be identical, or at least largely the same:

Only in Shuicheng seem to have accepted their classification as Yi the Limin. Anyway, live 44.6 % of all "real" in the census of the Li Nationality attributed people in the circles that are cited as the main settlement area of ​​Limin. Whether it is in Pu'an and Pan also is Limin, or a different native ethnic group unceremoniously called "Li", is yet to be investigated. It remains to be seen whether it will succeed in the next census (November 2010) to correct the number of "Li" in Guizhou down drastically.

List of unrecognized as nationalities nations and ethnic groups in China

1 The Mang are not to be confused with the Muong (芒 族) in Vietnam. The majority of Mang lives in Vietnam, where it is Mang ( about 2100 people ) called.