Chinese Ethnicities and Peoples

Hakka - An Important Element of Chinese Culture

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:41:43 +0000

The Hakkas are a unique ethnic group of "Han" Chinese originally active around the Yellow River area, Hakka people also have married other ethnic groups and adopted their cultures during the long journey history of 2000 years, Well I think that they are thought to be one of the earliest "Han" settlers in China, Hakka people are noted for their protection of certain cultural characteristics that could be traced to pre-Qin period (about 2200 years ago) as expressed in the custom, foods, spoken language, etc. They are also paradoxically conservative and endeavoring, hard-working and enduring, is reflective of the spirit of Chinese culture.

SiYi People Dominate the Chinese Movie Industry

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:35:22 +0000

I just found out that Hu Die (胡蝶) the "Empress of Chinese Movies" is of SiYi origin, who's father moved to shanghai from Heshan, Guangdong. She played the title role in China's first sound film, 1931's "Genu Hong Mudan" 歌女红牡丹 (Songstress Red Peony), in which her character is a talented vocalist whose life is one of constant abuse and exploitation by her rotter of a husband.

A Movie with Hu Die: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTM3NzAxMDg=.html

Cheongsams worn by Miss Hu Die were chased after by young ladies of note in old shanghai. As a result became popular during those days. Source: http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/15Traditions4161.html

When was sinicization first recorded in Chinese history?

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:42 +0000

Is sinicization as we know it originally a Chinese concept that has only come to historical light in modern times? When can we trace the concept to or how early did it appear in historical Chinese documents or writings which depicted case scenarios and may have provided objective standpoints on the concept? There are clear evidences for the existence of sinicization. For example the Khitan of Liao increasingly sinicized themselves by adopting Han Chinese cultural norms which was reflected in their religious architecture and in their tombs designed for the afterlife. But this information comes from archaeology and we have no way of really knowing what their intentions were to be imitating Chinese designs. Other instances include the Tang dynasty whose emperors had maternal or paternal bloodlines tracing to Xianbei or Tuoba origins and so intermarriage may have been seen as a sign of sinicization. Non Han Chinese peoples approached closer to Han Chinese centers of civilization and shed their "barbaric" past in order to permanently and legitimately stay. Would the implication exist that emperors whom were seen as having been sinicized were more legitimate than those who were not? I think such a concept of sinicization analyzed along the lines of power struggle and authoritative legitimacy could have been a frequent discursive topic during the time of the warring states period. It may have inspired Qin mentality and helped to construct plans in their campaign for unification. My theory is that somehow they arrived at the conclusion that in order for their conquest to efficiently work other states would have to follow Qin administrative decree but in order for this to succeed they must also implement a self-image which reverse propagandized previous notions of the Qin state as being "barbaric". They would have desired a new outlook on the Qin territories as being the nominal center of Chinese civilization while other places would become crafted to appear as though they may be undergoing a process of sinicization. It is either fact or rumor that Qin Shi Huang Di ordered a new palace complex constructed in the style and manner found in the other six states so that foreign imperial elite could relocate to Qin. This ought to be construed as the way Qin Shi Huang Di wanted to reinforce that Qin wasn't merely adopting the cultures and sinicizing itself as it had previously done but rather Qin was the new fashionable source of Chinese culture. Qin Shi Huang Di's book burning campaign and eradication of the native script of the other six states ensured that it leveraged on other territories the concept of sinicization. First it would help continue bringing in talent to Qin because having a grasp on the knowledge arising out of Qin would be considered prestigious and worthy of the elite since only Qin knowledge was sustained. Second through the induction and spread of Qin legalism practices and literature Qin Shi Huang Di's authority would naturally increase in legitimacy since it was the state of Qin which first upheld the systems later implemented elsewhere. But the dominance of cultural progression and transmission was a fantastically short lived success of the Qin state since they fell soon after they gained control over all the six states. Their strategy of conquest consisted in willing to master other cultures to the effect that they jealously withheld the prestige of authorship from everyone else.

Your thoughts...

Was there mass assimilation in Guangdong in the past ?

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:37:26 +0000

Some people say that (Theory 1) today's Cantonese of Guangdong were actually the Bai Yue tribes that were all assimilated into the Han ethnicity culture and group about less than one thousand years ago.

But there is another theory (Theory 2) that during Qin's victory and control of Guangdong province, many of the Bai Yue were slaughtered and only some women were left that the Qin army took as wives. Later on, more Han immigration occured that made the Han ethnic group the majority (over the mixed Han/Bai Yue population) during the Tang Dynasty, and that is when Cantonese dialects developed (during Tang Dynasty period).

I beleive in the 2nd theory as Cantonese people on average look very Han Chinese. In the North, there were many mongols, manchus, xiongnu and other northern tribes who invaded China and cause these mass migration from north to south, brining with them the language/culture to the south. By that time, many in the north mixed with these northern tribes creating a slightly different language and culture that we know as today mandarin. Where as in the southern part of China, the people still preserve many of the old chinese pronounciations and characteristics.

For example, most Taishanese (generally) i have seen on average look like this:

NB: found these pictures on the Facebook Taishan Group pictures.

Most Taishanese in general are fair skin and the men are big with wide shoulders. For example, i have wide shoulders, except i am not that fair in skin (just slightly tanned, with a Zhou En Lai facial look lol). Most Taishanese women look like the bottom 2nd picture.

Origin of Teochew people

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:56:45 +0000

http://teochiewkia.blogspot.com/2010/07/teochew-people.html (click on links for videos)

The Chaozhou Han or Chaozhou people (commonly known as Teochew Nang) are Han people who are native to the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong province of China and speak the Teochew dialect. The Teochew diaspora can be found almost anywhere in the world, especially Southeast Asia, North America, Australasia and France. The diaspora, at least estimated, contains over 10 million people, which is as much as the population of Chaoshan itself. They speak a language closely related to Hokkien, and their Teochew cuisine is distinctive. The ancestors of the Teochew people moved to present-day Chaoshan from the Central Plains of China in order to escape from a series of civil wars during the Jin Dynasty.

Teochew Nang(潮州人)

Historically, these people were called Helao or Fulao, as they came mostly from Henan and Shanxi via Fujian, with well-maintained language and customs from north-central China. As was recorded in pedigrees and ancient inscriptions, these people who had originally migrated to southern Fujian, especially from Quanzhou and Putian, made settlements toward Chaoshan in batches and soon spread all over the Chaoshan area. Geographic isolation and difficulty in traveling in the past made the Helao or Fulao become a relatively closed population. Recently, studies of genetic analysis supported that although all Han Chinese are indeed related and share a common root, the Teochew had closest links with the Minnan area of Fujian province and those from the Taihang Mountain range of north-central China.

They are known to Cantonese speakers as "Hoklo", which means “men from the Hok province i.e. Fujian province”, although the term “Teochew” is applied to them in the Strait Settlements(British Malaya) in the 19th century and early 20th century. "Teochew" is derived from Teochew Prefecture (Chaozhou Fu, 潮州府) the departmental city where they originate. In Mandarin, it should be Chaozhou(潮州).

In ancient times, all the 8 counties (Chaoan 潮安、Chenghai 澄海、Chaoyang 潮阳、Jieyang 揭阳、Raoping 饶平、Puning 普宁、Huilai 惠来、Nanao 南澳 ) were under Chaozhou Prefecture 潮州府. So people from these counties are known as Chaozhou ren 潮州人.

Chaoshan ren(潮汕人)

Initially only Shantou people is called Swatoa nang(汕头人), Chaozhou people is called Chaozhou Ren or Teochew Nang, at that time the name included all Teochew people.
After Shantou 汕头 (formerly under Chenghai County) became a prefecture-level city, people began to use the word "Chaoshan ren" to replace "Chaozhou ren". This is why Teochew in China use "Chaoshan 潮汕" while Teochew in overseas use "Chaozhou 潮州".

Now, even Chaoyang(潮阳)also politically under Shantou, and now call Chaonan; Chaoyang Nang also become Chaoshan Nang. Chaoyang people naturally is not happy over the broader definition of Chaoshan ren (潮汕人). Because Chaoyang ren(潮阳人) are Chaozhou ren(潮州人), not Chaoshan ren (潮汕人) !.

A narrow definition of Teochew or Chaozhou, now restricted only to people under Chaozhou county; broader defination included all formerlly or historically called Teochew Nang as oversea Chinese called for people from all the 8 counties (Chaoan 潮安、Chenghai 澄海、Chaoyang 潮阳、Jieyang 揭阳、Raoping 饶平、Puning 普宁、Huilai 惠来、Nanao 南澳 ) were under Chaozhou Prefecture 潮州府, including Shantou 汕头.

Chaoshan(潮汕) is name for political administration for a region, including Shantou and Chaozhou. It is not the name of people or language. It is wrong to call Chaoshan ren(潮汕人). Any attempt is with political motive to let Shantou overtake Chaozhou, not only politically but also culturally.

Chaozhou will always be the cultural capital of Teochew people, and the mother of Teochew culture. Shantou is just a port, a commercial city; it is not the mother land for Teochew culture.

Teochew Nang is not Chaoshan ren(潮汕人), but all Chaoshan ren(潮汕人)is Teochew Nang or Chaozhou Ren; in China or oversea....

We are always Teochew Nang or Chaozhou Ren, wherever we are; in China, in Taiwan, in Hong Kong, in Thailand, in Cambodia, in Singapore and all over the world. Let not political division divided us. Even you are from Shantou, you are still Teochew Nang.

We are all Teochew Nang((潮州人)!.

Sun Zhongshan is SiYi Cantonese ?

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:54:25 +0000

I just found out on wikipedia that the Guzhen Dialect(古鎮話) belongs to the SiYi dialect(四邑方言) group. When i researched that on google about the location of where Guzhen district is, i found out it was in the Northwestern part of Zhongshan,around where Dr. SunZhongshan (Sun Yat Sen) was born.

Here are the links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_dialects#Yue_-_.E7.B2.B5.E8.AA.9E.2F.E7.B2.A4.E8.AF.AD

http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/629621/China_Lighting_Capital_Guzhen_Guangdong.htm

Han chinese and Tibetan are related genetically

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:01:18 +0000

Han chinese, Tibetan, Qiang, Hmong originated from north west china.

Where did the original Han People come from?

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:46:49 +0000

Where did the original Han-People come from?

I was under the impression that the Han people came from the Yellow River Valley (since the Xia Dynasty and the first states were
based around the Yellow River).

However, I'm currently in a tense argument with a person in Armchairgeneral history forums who says that the Han came from the Yangtze River, or more specifically, the Han came from the Han River (tributary of the Yangtze). He claims that the Han people and Han Dynasty got their name from the Han river because they originated from the river.

thanks

"吐蕃","吐谷蕃","吐谷渾" and "Tibet"

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:58:18 +0000

Do the Chinese terms "吐蕃","吐谷蕃",and"吐谷渾" refer to the same people? Is the English term "Tibet" derived from "吐蕃"?

What is "党項人" called in English?

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:30:39 +0000

Is "党項人" called the Tangut People in English? If not, what are they called. And then What is Tangut people called in Chinese?