CCSF Anthropology 19: Ethnology of China
June 15 - July 3, 2006
Instructor: Robert Jones
Web Project of Amihan Makayan
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There are 56 ethnic groups in China identified in the late 1950s. The largest of these groups (the majority) is the Han which is 91.53% of China's population. The remaining 8.47% is comprised of 55 very diverse minority groups.
The biggest of the ethnic groups are the Zhuang and the Manchu which are over 10 million.
The next biggest group, with populations between one million and 10 million comprised of the: Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Uygur, Miao, Yi, Bouyei (Puyi), Korean, Dong, Yao, Bai, Tujia, Hani, Kazak, Dai, and Li.
With populations over 100,000 and under a million are the: Lisu, Va, Lahu, Shui, Dongxiang, Naxi, Jingpo, Kirgiz, Tu, Daur, Gelo, Qiang, Salar, Maonan, and Xibe.
With population below 100,000 are the: Gaoshan, Blang, Achang, Pumi, Tajik, Nu, Uzbek, Russian, Ewenki, De'ang, Bonan, Yugur, Jing, Jino, Tatar, Dulong, Oroquen, Hezhe, Lhoba, and Moinba.
Although small in number, the minority groups inhabit 63.72% of China's geography. Many of the countries natural resources are located where the minorities are. Many groups are responsible for the agricultural economy of China.
Ethnic Group Policies of China:
1. Equality, unity and common prosperity of all ethnic groups
2. Regional autonomy of ethnic groups
3. Training and appointment of cadres from ethnic minorities
4. Development of the economy of the ethnic minorities
5. Cultural prosperity of the ethnic groups
6. Education, science, and technology of ethnic groups
7. Development of public health and physical cultural affairs of the ethnic groups
8. Right to spoken and written languages of ethnic groups
9. Freedom to preserve or reform the folkways and customs of the ethnic minorities.
10. Policies concerning religious beliefs of the ethnic minorities.
This web project will introduce you to some of the very diverse minorities of Southwestern China. Please click on the name or the photo to be introduced to that ethnic minority.
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The Han is the largest majority in China with a population of 1,137,386,112 mainly living in the agriculturally developed areas of the Song Liao Plain, the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. Except in Tibet, Han people is the absolute majority all over the country.
The Han language, or Chinese language is comprised of seven northern dialects; Wu, Xiang, Gan, Min, Yue, Kejia and Mandarin. Mandarin is the legal language that is spoken in Beijing and is the official language.
Many Hans believe in Taoism and Buddhism while some are Christians.
The Han continue to have a well-developed economy as compared to the economy of the southeast and the western part of China, where many minorities live.
Blum, Susan D. and Jensen, Lionel M. eds. China Off Center: Mapping the Margins of the Middle Kingdom. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2002.
Booz, Patrick. Yunnan Province. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Passport Books, 1987.
China’s Ethnic Groups. China: The Ethnic Publishing House, November 2004.
Corrigan, Gina. Guizhou. Passport Books, November 2002.
Jones, Robert. Multiple Lectures. Matriarchs, Monasteries, & Mountains. Guiyang, Kaili, Dali, Lijiang, and Zhongdian, China. 17 June 2006 through 2 July 2006.
“Minority Report.” Time.com. 4 November 2002. 23 July 2006. http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/china_cul_rev/minorities.html
To learn about CCSF Study Abroad Program check out their website at http://www.ccsf.edu