Monguor people

The Tu (proper name: Monguor ;土族Chinese, Pinyin Tǔzú ) are one of the 55 in the People's Republic of China officially recognized national minorities. They live mainly in the provinces of Qinghai and Gansu.

Language

Of the 289 565 Tu ( census 2010) speaks about half Tu土族 语, also called Mangghuer, which can be divided into two dialects, Huzhu互助and Minhe民和. Around 5,000 Tu in Tongren Bonan, however, speak保安 语. All the others have taken over as transport and vernacular Chinese or Tibetan. Since the 80s of the 20th century. was tentatively a modern Tu- font introduced based on the Latin alphabet. The Tu - language is one of the Southeast Mongolian languages ​​and is closely related to Bonan, Dongxiang and Daur, as with the Khalkha Mongolian. The Huzhu dialect is heavily influenced by Tibetan.

Religion

The Tu are followers of Lamaism ( Tibetan Buddhism). One of the four great monasteries of the Gelugpa in the historical region of Amdo, the monastery Gönlung Champa Ling (Tibetan: dgon ment byams pa gling; Chinese Youning Si), located in today's Autonomous County Huzhu in Qinghai province.