I have been reading the chinese article on Zhonghua Minzu 中华民族 at http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/288438.html?si=2. It gives a somewhat historical perspective and a new 'nationalistic' point of view , given the fact that there are over 100 million overseas chinese outside China and take a look at the change of this definition over time.

As you may well know, this term surfaced around the corner during late Qing period, in response to the multi-ethnicities in Qing empire. The concept was later expanded to 5 ethnicities during early ROC period by Sun Yat Sen and then to 56 ethnicities in PRC. Today, the concept had include overseas chinese (about 100 million). This is a construction of a large supra ethnic group union transcending nationality and international boundaries (stemming from a nationalistic view), as PRC opened up to have contacts with outside world

The so-called "ZhongHua Minzu" ( short form - "Hua Ren 华人") is simply a large supra chinese ethnic groups union (multi-ethnic community) that transends nationality and international boundaries.

It includes:

1. Han-chinese (majority ethnic nationals/citizens living in China)

2. Ethnic Minorities (chinese citizen) living in China such as Manchu, Tibetan, Mongols, Uighur, Zhuang, Miao etc.

3. Overseas chinese (whose roots can be traced back to China, including ethnic minorities migrated overseas)

4. Ethnic Minorities in chinese history such as Xiongnu, Xianbei, Jie, Tujue, Khitan, Jurchen, Tanguts etc.

The chinese definition of "chinese" had discarded one based on blood origin and switched in favor to one based on culture and then balanced it with a nationalistic point of view. The definition of "chinese" based on blood was discarded simply because it was not able to complement the large multi-ethnic mix nature of people in China from historical perspective. It was also highly racist/discriminatory. The change to one based on chinese culture (including ethnic minorities culture) was more appealing to bind the ethnicities to China. More recently, with the presence of large population of overseas chinese who were trying to find ties with their roots or culture, China decided to expand the notion of this "Hua Ren" (Zhonghua Minzu) to include overseas chinese.

There are some controvesy esp. with Tibetan/Uighur/Taiwanese Independence group overseas.

What do you think of this Supra "Chinese Ethnic Groups Union"?

I think it's a valid doctrine.

I was told Hua resembles only the Han nationality.

Now, the term "Hua Ren" (hua people) comes from Overseas Chinese, and in the past (about 100 years ago), most of the overseas chinese were of han ethnicity. That's why many of the overseas chinese would simply refer "Hua" as han.

But today, amongst the overseas chinese, there were new immigrants such as those with "ethnic minority" such as Manchus, Uighur etc. Calling them "non-hua" (and disassociating them away from the Hua) would be akin to calling them "uncivilized barbarians", which is just plain ethno-discriminatory. In the ancient times, Hua was used to refer to the 'civilized people' of central plain China (where the contrast were the "yi" or the uncivilized). But today, it encompasses a greater scope to include oveseas chinese who were of China origin.

I think, the concept of "hua" has changed from there.

When, I was in Beijing an academist said the term "Hua" with its trad. form was originated from Henan cultural foundation, in a really ancient time
What I wonder is that in the PRC Constitution it reads "Middle Realm (Zhongguo) is a multi-national country.", but its official name is "Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo". Afriend of mine strongly pointed that the government stated its state of Hua, thus Han. I have some debate in my mind.

Hello GZ! Have you found any info on the topic?

I'm still trying to research this topic. Btw, Yun is the best person to inform us. He did a Master Thesis to address the question and confusion over "han", "hua" as well as "Zhonghua Minzu" after doing extensive research on the ancient chinese sources. All I can say is that "Zhonghua Minzu" was a notion born of 20th century and continued to be influenced by today's chinese politics (esp. nationalism). It was a political means to 'unite' all the ethnic nationals living in China, rather than trying to make them 'separate'. It was also a 'political consideration' to link it with the overseas chinese around the world as a way to 'influence' them. When pointing to overseas chinese, I'm sure most of the people will refer to 'han'. I'm not sure how to define those ethnic minorities who migrated out of China and lived overseas. Do they still regarded themselves as 'chinese'? I think, it's up to them to decide whether they consider themselves as 'chinese'. So long as they regard themselves as chinese, why not? If not, then so be it.

You know GZ, it is all this Jan Jacques Russo thing -- the "nation state". Ethnic minorities wanted their own states and they didn't want to be referred as ethnic "minorities". And we must make a unique understanding on "Zhonghua Minzu" and "China" thing as follows.

- What is "Zhongguo" as "Middle Realm"? Is this Han Chinese China nation state in the middle and so-called barbarians still surrounding them?

- What is "Hua"? My latest info on it is the term "Huaxia" as Mongols refer to the Han as "Hujaa". The term likely to be referring to early to Xia dynasty and refers to the Han Chinese.

- And then what about the term "China"? Are we referring to old Qing dominions fully or not?

We must make a unique understanding on these topics quickly.