Han (漢族 or 汉族)
Zhang Heng • Sun Yat-sen • Confucius Bruce Lee • Xiao Hong • Soong Ching-ling
Total population
1,310,158,851 19. Zhang Heng ( (CE 78–139 was an astronomer, mathematician, inventor, geographer, cartographer, artist, poet Sun Yat-sen ( November 12, 1866 &ndash March 12, 1925) was a Chinese Revolutionary and political leader often Confucius ( lit " Master Kung " September 28, 551 BC - 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher Bruce Lee ( November 27 1940 – July 20 1973 was an American-born Martial artist, Philosopher, instructor, Martial arts actor and the Xiao Hong ( June 2, 1911 – January 22, 1942) also spelled Hsiao Hung was a Chinese writer Soong Ch'ing-ling ( (27 January 1893 &ndash 29 May 1981 also known as Madame Sun Yat-sen, was one of the three Soong sisters &mdashwho along with their husbands 73% of global human population (estimate)
Regions with significant populations
Majority populations  People's Republic of China 1,207,541,842 [1] --  Hong Kong 6,593,410 [2] --  Macau 433,641 [3]  Republic of China (Taiwan) 22,575,365 [4]  Singapore 2,684,936 [5] Minority populations       Indonesia 7,566,200 [6]       Thailand 7,053,240 [7]       Malaysia 6,590,500 [8]       United States 3,376,031 [9]       Canada 1,612,173 [10]       Peru 1,300,000 [11]       Vietnam 1,263,570 [12]       Philippines 1,146,250 [13]       Burma 1,101,314 [14]       Russia 998,000 [15]       Australia 614,694 [16]       Japan 519,561 [17]       Cambodia 343,855 [18]       United Kingdom 296,623 [19]       France 230,515 [20]       India 189,470 [21]       Laos 185,765 [22]       Brazil 151,649 [23]       Italy 145,000 [24]       Netherlands 144,928 [25]       South Korea 137,790 [26]       New Zealand 147,570 [27]       Panama 135,000 [28]
Languages
Chinese languages
Religions
Predominantly Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Singapore The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Small Christian, Muslim and Xiantian minorities. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Way of Former Heaven (or Hsien-t'ien tao or Xian Tian Tao, 先天道 encompasses five religious groups of Chinese origin Background of Confucianism and Chinese folk religion. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Chinese folk religion is a collective label given to various folkloric beliefs that draws heavily from Chinese mythology. [1][2][3]

Han Chinese (simplified Chinese: 汉族 or 汉人; traditional Chinese: 漢族 or 漢人; pinyin: hànzú or hànrén) are an ethnic group native to China and, by most modern definitions, the largest single ethnic group in the world. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001

Han Chinese constitute about 92 percent of the population of the People's Republic of China and about 19 percent of the entire global human population. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The world population is the total number of living Humans on Earth at a given time There is substantial genetic, linguistic, cultural and social diversity between the various subgroups of the Han, mainly due to thousands of years of immigration and assimilation of various regional ethnicities and tribes within China. Sub groups of Han Chinese are based on linguistics culture and region within mainland China The Han Chinese are a subset of the Chinese nation (Zhonghua minzu). Zhonghua minzu ( Traditional Chinese: 中華民族 ( Simplified Chinese: 中华民族 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínzú sometimes translated as An alternate name that many Chinese peoples use to refer to themselves is "Descendants of the Dragon" (Chinese: 龍的傳人 or 龙的传人). The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong The Chinese Dragon or Oriental dragon is a mythical creature in East Asian culture with a Chinese origin Many Han and other Chinese also call themselves "Descendants of the Yan Di (Yan Emperor) and Huang Di (Yellow Emperor)"

Contents 1 Terms and etymology 2 Distribution 2.1 Overseas distribution 3 History 3.1 Prehistory and the Huaxia 3.2 Early history 3.3 Imperial history 3.4 Recent history 4 Culture 4.1 Language 4.2 Names 4.3 Dress 4.4 Housing 4.5 Literature 4.6 Contribution to humanity 4.7 Religion 5 "Han" as a fluid concept 6 Han diversity 7 Controversies 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

Terms and etymology

The name Han comes from the Han Dynasty, which succeeded the short-lived Qin Dynasty that united China. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China The word Han is also the name of a river in central China (Han River), near which the founders of the Han dynasty were once based. The Han River ( in China was often referred to as Hànshǔi (漢水 "Han water" in antiquity Han, as a word in ancient China, especially in Classical Literary Chinese, can also mean the Milky Way, or as people in ancient China call it, the "Heavenly River" (天汉,"维天有汉"). Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of Written Chinese based on the Grammar and Vocabulary of ancient Chinese The Milky Way (a translation of the Latin Via Lactea, in turn derived from the Greek Γαλαξίας (Galaxias sometimes referred to simply

It was during the Qin Dynasty and the Han Dynasty that the various tribes of China began to feel that they belonged to the same ethnic group, relative to other ethnic groups around them. In addition, the Han Dynasty is considered a high point in Chinese civilization, in that it was able to expand its power and influence as far as Central and Northeast Asia, and came to rival the Roman Empire in both population and territory. A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial

In the English language, the Hans are often (and in the view of many Chinese incorrectly) referred to as simply "Chinese". English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States ^[4] Whether or not the use of the term Chinese correctly or incorrectly refers only to Han Chinese often is the subject of heated debate, since the restriction of the term Chinese to Han Chinese can be viewed as calling into question the legitimacy of Chinese rule over non-Han areas. However, it is important to note that the specific term "Chinese" (中國人 / 中国人) is largely a modern development. It was constructed in the 19th century to define the five major ethnic groups of Hans, Manchus, Mongols, Tibetans and Hui Muslims, which reflected the reality of the Qing dynasty and subsequently carried over to the Republic of China. Prior to the modern era, any ethnic identity was mostly regional and at best categorized in terms of Hans, Manchus, Mongols, Khitans, Xianbeis, etc. Thus, the common usage of defining Chinese as just ethnic Hans in English is both literally and historically incorrect.

Among some southern Han Chinese, a different term exists within various languages like Cantonese, Hakka and Minnan – Tángrén (唐人, literally "the people of Tang"). The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly The Southern Min language or Min Nan ( POJ: Bân-lâm-gú or "Southern Fujian" language refers to a family of Chinese languages Dialects This term derives from a later Chinese dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, which is regarded as another zenith of Chinese civilization. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by The term survives in one of the Chinese names for Chinatown: 唐人街 (pinyin: Tángrénjiē); literally meaning "Street of the people of Tang". A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese outside the majority-Chinese countries of Greater China. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use

Another term commonly used by Overseas Chinese is Huaren (simplified Chinese: 华人; traditional Chinese: 華人; pinyin: huárén), derived from Zhonghua (simplified Chinese: 中华; traditional Chinese: 中華; pinyin: zhōnghuá), a literary name for China. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use In China, common names for China include " Zhonghua " (zh-Hans [[wiktionary中华 中华]]/zh-Hant [[wiktionary中華 中華]] and " Zhongguo The usual translation is "ethnic Chinese". The term refers to "Chinese" as a cultural and ethnic affiliation and is inclusive of both Chinese in China and persons of Chinese descent residing abroad.

Distribution

The vast majority of Han Chinese — over 1. 2 billion — live in the People's Republic of China (PRC), where they constitute about 92% of its population. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Within the People's Republic of China, Han Chinese are the majority in every province, municipality, and autonomous region except for the autonomous regions of Xinjiang (41% as of 2000) and Tibet (6% as of 2000). See also Administrative divisions of the Republic of China Due to China 's large Population and area the political divisions of China have consisted Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR also called Xizang Autonomous Region (བོད་རང་སྐྱོང་ལྗོངས་ Wylie: Bod-rang-skyong-ljongs Han Chinese also constitute the majority in both of the Special Administrative Regions of the PRC, about 95% of the population of Hong Kong and about 96% of the population of Macau. A Special Administrative Region ( SAR) is a high autonomous administrative division of the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics.

Over 22 million Han Chinese live in the Republic of China (Taiwan), where they constitute 98% of the population. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Within Taiwan, Han Chinese also constitute the majority in all counties and municipalities. The Republic of China currently administers two historical Provinces of China (one completely and a small part of another one and centrally administers two Direct-controlled

Overseas distribution

Main article: Overseas Chinese

Of about 40 million overseas Chinese worldwide, nearly 30 million live in Southeast Asia. Discounting Taiwan, Singapore has the largest majority overseas Chinese population, with about 2. Singapore 7 million Chinese forming over 75% of the population. (Though Taiwan is much larger than Singapore in terms of land area and Chinese population, it has limited recognition as a country). The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory Large Chinese populations also live in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Elsewhere in the world, 3 million people of Chinese descent live in the United States where they constitute about 1% of the population, over 1 million in Canada (3. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page 7%), and over 600,000 in Australia (3. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. 5%).

History

Main article: History of China

Prehistory and the Huaxia

The history of the Han Chinese ethnic group is closely tied to that of China. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Han Chinese trace their ancestry back to the Huaxia people, who lived along the Yellow River in northern China. Huaxia ( is a name often used to represent China or Chinese civilization The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho ( Hatan Gol Queen river) is the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the The famous Chinese historian Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian dates the reign of the Yellow Emperor, the legendary ancestor of the Han Chinese, to 2698 BCE to 2599 BCE. Early life and education Sima Qian was born and grew up in Longmen, near present-day Hancheng Shaanxi. The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name 史記 or Shiji, written from 109 BC to 91 BC Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, is a Legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is considered in Chinese mythology to be the Although study of this period of history is complicated by lack of historical records, discovery of archaeological sites have identified a succession of Neolithic cultures along the Yellow River. An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either Prehistoric or historic or contemporary and The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Along the central reaches of the Yellow River were the Jiahu culture (7000 BCE to 6600 BCE), Yangshao culture (5000 BCE to 3000 BCE) and Longshan culture (3000 BCE to 2000 BCE). Jiahu ( 賈湖 Pinyin: Jiǎhú was the site of a Neolithic Yellow River settlement based in the central plains of ancient China The Yangshao culture ( was a Neolithic culture that existed extensively along the central Yellow River in China. Longshan culture ( was a late Neolithic culture in China, centered on the central and lower Yellow River and dated from about 3000 BC to Along the lower reaches of the river were the Qingliangang culture (5400 BCE to 4000 BCE), the Dawenkou culture (4300 BCE to 2500 BCE), the Longshan culture (2500 BCE to 2000 BCE), and the Yueshi culture. The Dawenkou culture ( is a name given by archaeologists to a group of Neolithic communities who lived primarily in Shandong, but also appeared in Longshan culture ( was a late Neolithic culture in China, centered on the central and lower Yellow River and dated from about 3000 BC to

Chinese records give no clear answers as to how or from where this people came to live in the region. In the 19th century, there were numerous conjectures and speculations published as to their previous or original location, ranging anywhere from Ancient Egypt to India to Mongolia. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Around the turn of the 20th century, a French author, Terrien de Lacouperie, proposed a theory tracing them to a tribe supposedly found in Elamite inscriptions as "Bak-sing" or "Bak" being southeast of the Caspian Sea. Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. Although most specific elements of this theory were soon discredited as being based upon several outright misreadings and other less-than-compelling evidence (such as equating the Yellow Emperor, Hwang-ti with the Mesopotamian god Nahhunte), several scholars continued to maintain into the 1920s that an Akkadian origin for the Han Chinese was still the most likely. Nahundi or Nahhundi (in Akkadian Nahhunte) was the Elamite god of the sun and of Law. Lacouperie's erroneous books were also translated into Japanese as well as widely promoted in China, often by Japanese interests, with the result that such "Western Origins" theories became thoroughly discredited after World War Two. The most that can be said with certainty today is that Chinese annals are silent on the question.

Early history

Main articles: Xia Dynasty, Shang Dynasty, and Zhou Dynasty

The first dynasty to be described in Chinese historical records is the Xia Dynasty, a legendary period for which scant archaeological evidence exists. The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and They were overthrown by peoples from the east, who founded the Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 BCE). The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the The earliest archaeological examples of Chinese writing date back to this period, from characters inscribed on oracle bone divination, but the well-developed oracle characters hint at a much earlier origin of writing in China. Oracle bones ( Chinese: 甲骨 Pinyin: jiǎgǔpiàn are pieces of Bone or turtle shell that were heated and cracked during divination The Shang were eventually overthrown by the people of Zhou, which had emerged as a state along the Yellow River sometime during the 2nd millennium BC.

The Zhou Dynasty was the successor to the Shang. The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. Sharing the language and culture of the Shang people, they extended their reach to encompass much of the area north of the Yangtze River. Through conquest and colonization, much of this area came under the influence of sinicization and the proto-Han Chinese culture extended south. Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, (in Mandarin: 中国化 Zhōngguóhuà) is the linguistic assimilation or However, the power of the Zhou kings fragmented, and many independent states emerged. This period is traditionally divided into two parts, the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The Spring and Autumn Period ( was a period in Chinese history which roughly corresponds to the first half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (from the second half of the 8th century BC The Warring States Period ( also known as the Era of Warring States covers the period from some time in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the This period was an era of major cultural and philosophical development known as the Hundred Schools of Thought. The Hundred Schools of Thought ( were philosophers and schools that had flourished from 770 to 221 BC an era of great cultural and intellectual expansion in China. Among the most important surviving philosophies from this era are the teachings of Confucianism and Taoism. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions

Imperial history

Main article: Qin Dynasty

The era of the Warring States came to an end with the unification of China by the Qin Dynasty after it conquered all other rival states. Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China Its leader, Qin Shi Huang, declared himself the first emperor, using a newly created title, thus setting the precedent for the next two millennia. Qin Shi Huang ( (259 BC – September 10 210 BC personal name Yíng Zhèng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 247 BCE to 221 BCE (during the He established a new centralized and bureaucratic state to replace the old feudal system, creating many of the institutions of imperial China, and unified the country economically and culturally by decreeing a unified standard of weights, measures, currency, and writing.

Main article: Han Dynasty

However, the reign of the first imperial dynasty was to be short-lived. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Due to the first emperor's autocratic rule, and his massive construction projects such as the Great Wall which fomented rebellion into the populace, the dynasty fell soon after his death. The Great Wall of China ( or ( is a series of stone and earthen Fortifications in China, built rebuilt and maintained between the 6th century BC and the 16th The Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) emerged from the succession struggle and succeeded in establishing a much longer lasting dynasty. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. It continued many of the institutions created by Qin Shi Huang but adopted a more moderate rule. Under the Han Dynasty, arts and culture flourished, while the dynasty expanded militarily in all directions. This period is considered one of the greatest periods of the history of China, and the Han Chinese take their name from this dynasty.

Main articles: Three Kingdoms, Sixteen Kingdoms, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui Dynasty, and Tang Dynasty

The fall of the Han Dynasty was followed by an age of fragmentation and several centuries of disunity amid warfare by rival kingdoms. The Three Kingdoms period ( is a period in the History of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of The Sixteen Kingdoms ( or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas This article is about the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by During this time, areas of northern China were overrun by various non-Chinese nomadic peoples which came to establish kingdoms of their own, the most successful of which was Northern Wei established by the Xianbei. For the city see Wuhu. For the history of each of the Wu Hu tribes see Sixteen Kingdoms. The Northern Wei Dynasty (北魏 Pinyin: běi wèi 386 - 534) also known as the Tuoba Wei (拓拔魏 Later Wei (後魏 or The Xianbei ( were a significant nomadic people residing in Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, or Xianbei Shan. Starting from this period, the native population of China proper began to be referred to as Hanren, or the "People of Han", to distinguish from the nomads from the steppe; "Han" refers to the old dynasty. Warfare and invasion led to one of the first great migrations in Han population history, as the population fled south to the Yangtze and beyond, shifting the Chinese demographic center south and speeding up Sinicization of the far south. Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, (in Mandarin: 中国化 Zhōngguóhuà) is the linguistic assimilation or At the same time, in the north, most of the nomads in northern China came to be Sinicized as they ruled over large Chinese populations and adopted elements of Chinese culture and Chinese administration. Of note, the Xianbei rulers of the Northern Wei ordered a policy of systematic Sinicization, adopting Han surnames, institutions, and culture. The Change of Xianbei family names to Han names was part of a Sinicization campaign to convert Xianbei family names into Han Chinese names

The Sui (581 - 618) and Tang Dynasties (618 - 907) saw the continuation of the complete Sinicization of the south coast of what is now China proper, including what are now the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. This article is about the People's Republic of China province Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the The later part of the Tang Dynasty, as well as the Five Dynasties period that followed, saw continual warfare in north and central China; the relative stability of the south coast made it an attractive destination for refugees.

Main articles: Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, and Qing Dynasty

The next few centuries saw successive invasions of non-Han Chinese peoples from the north, such as the Khitans and Jurchens. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The Jurchens ( were a Tungus people who inhabited the region of Manchuria ( Northeast China) until the 17th century when they adopted the name Manchu In 1279 the Mongols (Yuan Dynasty) conquered all of China, becoming the first non-Han Chinese ethnicity to do so. The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai The Mongols divided society into four classes, with themselves occupying the top class and Han Chinese into the bottom two classes.

In 1368 Han Chinese rebels drove out the Mongols and, after some infighting, established the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Settlement of Han Chinese into peripheral regions continued during this period, with Yunnan in the southwest receiving a large number of migrants.

In 1644, the Manchus (Qing Dynasty) invaded from Manchuria. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Remnant Ming forces led by Koxinga fled to Taiwan, where they eventually capitulated by Qing forces in 1683. Koxinga ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Kok-sèng-iâ/Kok-sìⁿ-iâ Lord with the Imperial Surname) is the traditional Western spelling of the popular appellation of Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Taiwan, previously inhabited mostly by non-Han Chinese aborigines, was Sinicized via large-scale migration accompanied with assimilation during this period, despite efforts by the Manchus to prevent this, as they found it difficult to maintain control over the island. At the same time the Manchus discouraged (with only limited success) Han Chinese migration to Manchuria, because the Manchus perceived it as the home base of their dynasty. Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast During the late Qing Dynasty however, restrictions were dropped in the face of Russian and Japanese expansionism, and Han migration to Manchuria boomed. (During previous dynasties, Han Chinese settlement in Manchuria was limited to the southern part, in what is now the province of Liaoning; during and after the late Qing Dynasty, however, Han Chinese settled and became the majority in nearly all of Manchuria. ( is a northeastern province of the People's Republic of China. )

In the 19th century, Chinese migrants went in large numbers to other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, Australia, and North America. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. See Overseas Chinese.

Recent history

Main articles: Republic of China and People's Republic of China

The Qing Dynasty was replaced by the Republic of China in 1912. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting In 1931 Japan detached Manchuria and created the puppet state of Manchukuo. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Manchukuo (ja [[wikt満州国 満州国]] Manshūkoku lit "State of Manchuria " was a Puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Manchukuo attempted to appeal to Manchu nationalism, but by then the majority of its population was Han Chinese.

In 1949 the People's Republic of China was established while the Republic of China fled to Taiwan. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. About one million refugees fled with it, further augmenting the population of Taiwan. Meanwhile, the People's Republic of China organized migration into peripheral areas. In Xinjiang region in the northwest, the Han Chinese population rose from under ten percent in the 1950s to over forty percent today. Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk

Chinese migration overseas has also continued into the 20th and 21st centuries. The approach of the handover of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 prompted large waves of Hong Kong Chinese migration to North America, Australia, and elsewhere. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Chinese presences have also been established in Europe as well as Russia, especially the Russian Far East. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Russian Far East (Да́льний Восто́к Росси́и ˈdalʲnʲɪj vʌˈstok rʌˈsʲiɪ is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i

Culture

Main article: Culture of China

Han China is one of the world's oldest and most complex civilizations. The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements Chinese culture dates back thousands of years. Some Han Chinese believe they share common ancestors, mythically ascribed to the patriarchs Yellow Emperor and Yan Emperor, some thousands of years ago. Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, is a Legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is considered in Chinese mythology to be the Shennong ( also known as the Yan Emperor (炎帝 or the Emperor of the Five Grains ( is a Legendary ruler of China and Culture hero Hence, some Chinese refer to themselves as "Descendants of the Yan and/or Yellow Emperor" (Traditional Chinese: 炎黃子孫; Simplified Chinese: 炎黄子孙), a phrase which has reverberative connotations in a divisive political climate, as in that between mainland China and Taiwan. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia.

Throughout the history of China, Chinese culture has been heavily influenced by Confucianism. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Credited with shaping much of Chinese thought, Confucianism was the official philosophy throughout most of Imperial China's history, and mastery of Confucian texts provided the primary criterion for entry into the imperial bureaucracy. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era The Imperial examinations ( in Imperial China determined who among the population would be permitted to enter the state's Bureaucracy.

Language

Main article: Chinese language

Han Chinese speak various forms of the Chinese language; one of the names of the language group is Hanyu (traditional Chinese: 漢語; simplified Chinese: 汉语), literally the "Han language". Similarly, Chinese characters, used to write the language, are called Hanzi (traditional Chinese: 漢字; simplified Chinese: 汉字), or "Han characters". A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese (

Despite the existence of many dialects of Chinese spoken languages, one factor in Han ethnic unity is the Chinese written language, which has a unified standard form, regardless of local variations. Spoken Chinese ( comprises many regional variants the largest of which are Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, and Min. Written Chinese comprises the written symbols used to represent Spoken Chinese and the rules about how they are arranged and punctuated This unity is credited to the Qin dynasty which unified the various forms of writing that existed in China at that time. Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China For thousands of years, Literary Chinese was used as the standard written format, which used vocabulary and grammar significantly different from the various forms of spoken Chinese. Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of Written Chinese based on the Grammar and Vocabulary of ancient Chinese Since the twentieth century, written Chinese has been usually vernacular Chinese, which is largely based upon dialects of Mandarin, and not the local dialect of the writer (with the exception of the use of written Cantonese). Written Chinese comprises the written symbols used to represent Spoken Chinese and the rules about how they are arranged and punctuated Vernacular Chinese is a style or register of the Written Chinese Language essentially modeled after the spoken language and associated with Written Cantonese refers to the Written language used to write Colloquial Standard Cantonese using Chinese characters. Thus, although the residents of different regions would not necessarily understand each other's speech, they would be able to understand each other's writing.

Names

Main article: Chinese name

Chinese names are typically two or three syllables in length, with the surname preceding the given name. Personal Names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Chinese family name is one of the hundreds or thousands of Family names that have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic Chinese given names ( Chinese: 名字 Pinyin: míngzì are often made up of one or two characters Unlike Western personal names there is great variety Surnames are typically one character in length, though a few uncommon surnames are two or more syllables long, while given names are one or two syllables long. There are 4,000 to 6,000 surnames in China, about 1,000 surnames are most popularly used.

Dress

Main article: Han Chinese clothing

Today, Han Chinese usually wear Western-style clothing. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Few wear traditional Han Chinese clothing on a regular basis. Han Chinese clothing or Hanfu ( also known as Hanzhuang ( 漢裝) Huafu ( 華服) or guzhuang ( 古裝, meaning It is, however, preserved in religious and ceremonial costumes. For example, Taoist priests dress in fashion typical of scholars of the Han Dynasty. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The ceremonial dress in Japan, such as those of Shinto priests, are largely in line with ceremonial dress in China during the Tang Dynasty. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Now, the most popular traditional Chinese clothing worn by many Chinese females in important occasions such as wedding banquets and Chinese New Year is called the qipao. The cheongsam is a body-hugging (modified in Shanghai) one-piece Chinese Dress for women However, this attire comes not from the Han Chinese but from a modified dress-code of the Manchus, the ethnic group that ruled China between the seventeenth (1644) and the early twentieth century. The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in

Housing

Chinese Han people traditionally commonly lived with the whole family in large houses that were rectangular in shape. This house is called a 四合院 (traditional and simplified characters) or sì hé yuàn (Hanyu Pinyin). These houses had four rooms in the front, the guest room, kitchen, lavatory, and servants' quarters. For the Banana Yashimoto novel see Kitchen (novel A kitchen, is a room or part of a room (sometimes called "kitchen A toilet is a Plumbing fixture and disposal system primarily intended for the disposal of the bodily wastes: Urine and fecal matter. Servants' quarters are those parts of a building traditionally in a private house which contain the domestic offices Across the large double doors was a wing for the elderly in the family. This wing consisted of three rooms, a central room where the four tablets, heaven, earth, ancestor, and teacher, were worshipped. There the two rooms attached to the left and right were bedrooms for the grandparents. A bedroom is a large Room where people usually sleep for the night and/or for relaxation during the day The east wing of the house was inhabited by the eldest son and his family, while the west wing sheltered the second son and his family. Each wing had a veranda, some had a "sunroom" made from a surrounding fabric supported by a wooden or bamboo frame. A verandah or veranda is a roofed opened gallery or porchIt is also described as an open pillared gallery generally roofed built around a central structure Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily Every wing is also built around a central courtyard used for study, exercise, or nature viewing. ^[5]

Literature

Main article: Chinese literature

Chinese has a rich history of classical literature dating back several thousand years. Chinese literature extends back thousands of years from the earliest recorded dynastic court Archives to the mature fictional Novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty Important early works include classics texts such as Analects of Confucius, the I Ching, Tao Te Ching, and the Art of War. Chinese classic texts or Chinese canonical texts ( refer to the pre- Qin Chinese texts especially the Confucian Four Books and Five Classics The Analects ( also known as the Analects of Confucius, are a record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher The I Ching ( Wade-Giles) or “Yì Jīng” ( Pinyin) also called “Classic of Changes” or “Book of Changes” is one of the oldest of the The Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing ( originally known as Laozi or Lao tzu ( is a Chinese classic The Art of War ( is a Chinese military Treatise that was written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Some of the most important Han Chinese poets in the pre-modern era include Li Bai, Du Fu, and Su Dongpo. Du Fu ( 712–770 was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. Su Shi ( 1037–1101 was a writer, poet, Artist, calligrapher, Pharmacologist, and Statesman of the Song Dynasty The most important novels in Chinese literature, or the Four Great Classical Novels, are: Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Journey to the West. The Four Great Classical Novels, or Four Major Classical Novels ( of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly counted by scholars to be the greatest and most Dream of the Red Chamber (also Red Chamber Dream, Hung Lou Meng or A Dream of Red Mansions) ( originally The Story of the Stone Water Margin ( (also Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers or The Marshes of Mount Liang) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese Historical novel based upon events in Journey to the West ( is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

Contribution to humanity

Main article: Science and technology in China

Han Chinese have played a major role in the development of the arts, sciences, philosophy, and mathematics throughout history. The history of Science and Technology in China is both long and rich with many contributions to science and technology The arts is a broad subdivision of Culture, composed of many expressive disciplines. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology In ancient times, the scientific accomplishments of China included seismological detectors, matches, paper, cannon, flare, continuous flame throwers, fire arrow, paper-printed money, chain drive, escapement, pendulum, silk, multistage rocket, landmine, quilling-wheel, odometer, sluice gate, the canal lock, flash lock, rudder, pontoon bridge, gimbal, South Pointing Chariot, water-tight compartment, blast furnace, porcelain, belt drive, dry docks, sliding calipers, the double-action piston pump, cardon suspension, cast iron, metal stirrups, civil service examination system, paddle wheels, the iron plow, the multi-tube seed drill, the wheelbarrow, rotary winnowing fan, collapsible umbrella, toothbrush, trip hammer, trebuchet, kites, Su Song water-driven astronomical clock tower, grand canal, horse collar, chain pump, pound lock, the suspension bridge, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the raised-relief map, the propeller, innoculation, the crossbow, gunpowder and printing. Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural The Fire Arrow is a projectile weapon that uses Black powder. A banknote (often known as a bill, paper money or simply a note) is a kind of Negotiable instrument, a Promissory note made by a Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another In Mechanical watches and Clocks an escapement is a device which converts continuous rotational motion into an oscillating or back and forth motion A pendulum is a mass that is attached to a pivot from which it can swing freely Silk is a natural Protein Fiber, some forms of which can be woven into Textiles The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons A land mine is an Explosive device designed to be placed on or in the ground to explode when triggered by an operator or the Proximity of a vehicle person Quilling or paper filigree is an Art form that involves the use of strips of Paper that are Rolled shaped and glued together to create decorative A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate A rudder is a device used to steer a Ship, Boat, Submarine, Hovercraft, or other conveyance that move through a fluid (generally air or A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a Bridge that floats on water supported by barge-or-boat-like pontoons to support the bridge deck and its dynamic A gimbal is a pivoted support that allows the rotation of an object about a single axis The South Pointing Chariot is widely regarded as one of the most complex Geared mechanism of the ancient Chinese civilization, and was continually used throughout the A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical Furnace used for Smelting to produce metals generally Iron. Porcelain is a Ceramic material made by heating raw materials generally including Clay in the form of Kaolin, in a Kiln to temperatures Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. See also Bureaucrat The term civil service has two distinct meanings Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis "Parasol" redirects here For other uses see Umbrella (disambiguation, Umbrella (song or Parasol (disambiguation The toothbrush is an instrument consisting of a small Brush on a handle used to clean Teeth through Tooth brushing. A trip hammer (alt helve hammer) is a massive powered Hammer, usually raised by a Cam and then released to fall under the force of gravity. A trebuchet or trebucket is a Siege engine that was employed in the Middle Ages either to smash Masonry Walls or to throw Su Song ( style name: Zirong 子容 (1020&ndash1101 AD was a renowned Chinese statesman, astronomer, cartographer, The chain pump is a type of water Pump where an endless chain has positioned on it a series of circular discs A pound lock is type of lock that is used almost exclusively nowadays on Canals and Rivers A pound lock has a chamber (the pound) with This article is concerned with a particular type of suspension bridge the suspended-deck type A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, A compass, magnetic compass or mariner's compass is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the earth's Magnetic poles It consists A raised-relief map or terrain model is a three-dimensional representation usually of terrain A propeller is essentially a type of fan which transmits power by converting Rotational motion into Thrust for propulsion of a vehicle such as an Inoculation is the placement of something to where it will grow or reproduce and is most commonly used in respect of the introduction of a serum Vaccine, or antigenic substance A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes Printing is a process for reproducing text and image typically with ink on Paper using a printing press Paper, printing, the compass, and gunpowder are celebrated in Chinese culture as the Four Great Inventions of ancient China. The Four Great Inventions of ancient China ( meaning "four great inventions" are four inventions that are celebrated in Chinese culture for their historical Chinese astronomers were also among the first to record observations of a supernova. A supernova (plural supernovae or supernovas) is a stellar Explosion.

Chinese art, Chinese cuisine, Chinese philosophy, and Chinese literature all have thousands of years of development, while numerous Chinese sites, such as the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army, are World Heritage Sites. Chinese art ( Chinese: 中國藝術/中国艺术 has varied throughout its ancient history, divided into periods by the ruling Dynasties of China and changing Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in Chinese philosophy is Philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought Chinese literature extends back thousands of years from the earliest recorded dynastic court Archives to the mature fictional Novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty The Great Wall of China ( or ( is a series of stone and earthen Fortifications in China, built rebuilt and maintained between the 6th century BC and the 16th The Terracotta Army ( are the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang the First Emperor of China. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Since the start of the program in 2001, aspects of Chinese culture have been listed by UNESCO as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity is a list maintained by UNESCO with pieces of Intangible culture considered relevant by that

Throughout much of history, successive Chinese Dynasties have exerted influence on their neighbors in the areas of art, music, religion, food, dress, philosophy, language, government, and culture. The following is a Chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history. A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic In modern times, Han Chinese form the largest ethnic group in China, while an overseas Chinese diaspora numbering in the tens of millions has settled in and contributed to countries throughout the world.

In modern times, Han Chinese have continued to contribute to the maths and sciences. Among them are Nobel Prize recipients Steven Chu, Samuel C. C. Ting, Chen Ning Yang, Tsung-Dao Lee, Yuan T. Lee, Daniel C. Tsui, Gao Xingjian, Fields Medal recipients Terence Tao and Shing-Tung Yau, and Turing Award recipient Andrew Yao. The Nobel Prize (Nobelpriset (Nobelprisen is a Swedish prize established in the 1895 will of Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel; it was first awarded in Peace, Literature Steven Chu ( Chinese: 朱棣文 Pinyin: Zhū Dìwén (b February 28[[ 948]] St Samuel Chao Chung Ting (丁肇中 Pinyin: Dīng Zhàozhōng Wade-Giles: Ting¹ Chao⁴-chung¹ (born January 27, 1936) is an American Chen-Ning Franklin Yang ( (born October 1, 1922) is a Chinese -born American Physicist who worked on Statistical mechanics Tsung-Dao Lee ( TD Lee,) (born November 24, 1926) is a Chinese -born American Physicist, well known for his work Early days Of Fujianese ancestry (specifically Rongqiao Village (榕橋村 Nan'an County (南安縣 Quanzhou City Lee was born in Hsinchu City Daniel Chee Tsui ( born February 28, 1939, Henan Province, China) is a Chinese -born American Physicist whose Gao Xingjian (pron káu ɕĭŋ tɕiɛ̂n; Wade-Giles: Kao Hsing-chien born January 4 1940 is a French Chinese émigré Novelist The Fields Medal is a prize awarded to two three or four Mathematicians not over 40 years of age at each International Congress of the International Mathematical Terence Chi-Shen Tao FRS (陶哲軒 (born July 17, 1975, Adelaide, South Australia) is an Australian Mathematician Shing-Tung Yau ( born April 4, 1949) is a Chinese American Mathematician working in Differential geometry, and involved The A M Turing Award is given annually by the Association for Computing Machinery to "an individual selected for contributions of a technical nature made to the computing Andrew Chi-Chih Yao ( is a prominent Computer scientist and Computational theorist. Tsien Hsue-shen was a prominent scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, while Chien-Shiung Wu contributed to the Manhattan Project. Tsien Hsue-shen ( born December 11, 1911) is a Scientist who was a major figure in the Missile and space programs of both the United States The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program Chien-Shiung Wu ( May 13, 1912 – February 16, 1997) was a Chinese -born American Physicist with an expertise The World War II Manhattan Project developed the first Nuclear weapon (atomic bomb Others include Charles K. Kao, a pioneer in fiber optics technology, and Doctor David Ho, one of the first scientists to propose that AIDS was caused by a virus, thus subsequently developing combination antiretroviral therapy to combat it. Charles Kuen Kao (高錕 Pinyin: Gāo Kūn born November 4, 1933) is a pioneer in the use of fiber optics in Telecommunications. An optical fiber (or fibre) is a Glass or Plastic fiber that carries Light along its length David Da-i Ho ( born November 3, 1952) is a Taiwanese American AIDS researcher famous for pioneering the use of Protease inhibitors Dr. Ho was named TIME magazine's 1996 Man of the Year.

Religion

In Han China, although Confucian ideals were popular in the beginning, towards the end of the dynasty Buddhism became a more widely recognised religion. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices In later Empires, Buddhism would remain supreme, until the Song Empire, when Taoism became widespread, and the first Muslim and Jewish minorities emerged. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

"Han" as a fluid concept

The definition of the Han identity has varied throughout history. Prior to the 20th century, some Chinese-speaking ethnic groups like the Hakka and the Tanka were not universally accepted as Han Chinese, while some non-Chinese speaking peoples, like the Zhuang, were sometimes considered Han. The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly The Boat people or Tanka is an ethnic group in China that has traditionally lived on junks in coastal parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, ^[6] Today, Hui Chinese are considered a separate ethnic group, but aside from their practice of Islam, little distinguishes them from the Han; two Han from different regions might differ more in language, customs, and culture than a neighboring Han and Hui. The Hui people ( Xiao'erjing: حُوِ ذَو) are a Chinese ethnic group, typically distinguished by their practice of Islam. During the Qing Dynasty, Han Chinese who had entered the Eight Banners military system were considered Manchu, while Chinese nationalists seeking to overthrow the monarchy stressed Han Chinese identity in contrast to the Manchu rulers. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The Eight Banners (In Manchu: jakūn gūsa, In Chinese: 八旗 baqí were administrative divisions into which all Manchu families were placed The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in Chinese nationalism ( sometimes synonymous with Chinese Patriotism ( lit Upon its founding, the Republic of China recognized five major ethnic groups: the Han, Hui, Mongols, Manchus, and Tibetans, while the People's Republic of China now recognizes fifty-six ethnic groups. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and China Proper Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The following is a list of ethnic groups in China where "China" is taken to mean areas controlled by either of the two states using "China" in their formal

Whether the idea of Han Chinese is recent or not is a debated topic in China studies. Scholars such as Ho Ping-Ti argue that the concept of a Han ethnicity is an ancient one, dating from the Han Dynasty itself. By contrast, scholars such as Evelyn Rawski have argued that the concept of Han Chinese is a relatively recent one, and was only invented in the late 19th and early 20th century by scholars such as Liang Qichao who were influenced by European concepts of race and ethnicity. Liang Qichao ( Chinese: 梁啟超 Liáng Qǐchāo; Courtesy: Zhuoru, 卓如 Pseudonym: Rengong, 任公 ( February ^[7]

Han diversity

Main article: Subgroups of the Han Chinese

In addition to a diversity of spoken language, there are also regional differences in culture among Han Chinese. Sub groups of Han Chinese are based on linguistics culture and region within mainland China For example, China's cuisine varies from Sichuan's famously spicy food to Guangdong's Dim Sum and fresh seafood. ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the Dim sum is the name for a Chinese cuisine which involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea. However, some sense of cultural or- at least political- unity still exists between these two groups because of common cultural, behavioural, linguistic, and religious practices.

According to recent scientific studies,^[8][9] there are significant genetic differences throughout China. Due to several waves of immigration from Northern China to Southern China in China's history, there are strong genetic similarities in the Y chromosome between Southern and Northern Chinese males. Northern China or North China ( literally "China's north" is a Geographical region of China. Alternative meaning In Geology, North China (continent and South China (continent were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern The Y chromosome is the sex-determining Chromosome in most Mammals including Humans In mammals it contains the gene SRY, which triggers However, the mitochondrial DNA of Han Chinese increases in diversity as one looks from Northern to Southern China, which suggests that many male migrants from northern China married with women from local peoples after arriving in Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions of Southern China. Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) is the DNA located in Organelles called mitochondria. Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the This article is about the People's Republic of China province As this mixing process continued and more Han people migrated south, the people in Southern China became Sinicized and identified themselves as Han. Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, (in Mandarin: 中国化 Zhōngguóhuà) is the linguistic assimilation or

Historical documentation indicates that the Han were descended from the ancient Huaxia tribes of northern China. Huaxia ( is a name often used to represent China or Chinese civilization During the past two millennia, the Han culture (that is, the language and its associated culture) extended into southern China, a region originally inhabited by the southern natives, including those speaking Dai, Austro-Asiatic and Hmong-Mien languages. The Tai-Kadai languages, also known as Kadai, Kradai, or Kra-Dai languages and in China as Zhuang-Dong languages are a tonal The Austro-Asiatic languages are a large Language family of Southeast Asia, and also scattered throughout India and Bangladesh. The Hmong-Mien or Miao-Yao languages are a small Language family of southern China and Southeast Asia. As Huaxia culture spread from its heartland in the Yellow River basin, it absorbed many distinct ethnic groups which then came to be identified as Han Chinese, as these groups adopted Han language (or variations of it) and customs. Huaxia ( is a name often used to represent China or Chinese civilization The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho ( Hatan Gol Queen river) is the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the

For example, during the Shang Dynasty, people of the Wu area, in the Yangtze River Delta, were considered a different tribe. The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the Wu (吳 or Wuyueh (吳越 is a region in the Jiangnan area (the south of Yangtze River) surrounding Suzhou, in Jiangsu province The Yangtze River Delta or Yangtze Delta, also called Chang Jiang Delta, or the Golden Triangle of the Yangtze ( Hanyu Pinyin:) generally They spoke a language that was almost certainly distinct from that of the Shang, and were described as being scantily dressed and tattooed. By the Tang Dynasty, however, this area had become part of the Han Chinese heartland, and is today the most densely populated and strongest performing economic region in China, the site of China's largest city Shanghai. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million The people in the Wu area today speak the Wu dialects, which are part of the Chinese language family but are mutually unintelligible with other Chinese languages/dialects, and do not see themselves as a separate ethnic group. The Wu area is one example of many involving the absorption of different cultural groups in contributing toward the diversity of culture and language throughout the Han Chinese ethnic group.

Controversies

There have been many controversies regarding the Han Chinese ethnic identity itself. Many of these controversies stem from the fact that many people do not view the Han Chinese identity as an ethnic identiy; it is seen as a cultural identity.

A major controversy is the very loose definition of 'Han Chinese'. There is no well-known text that rigorously defines the term. Also problematic is the fact that some of the alleged sub-groups such as the Cantonese, Hokkien and Taiwanese peoples are only distantly related to the historical ancestors of modern Han Chinese and are more closely related to other ethnic groups (as proved in genetic studies). A notable example would be the Cantonese people being closely related to ethnic Vietnamese but not being recognised as a distinct non-Han Chinese ethnic group.

See also

• Chinese people
• List of Chinese people
• Subgroups of Han Chinese
• Chinese nationalism
• Han chauvinism
• Sinocentrism
• China proper
• Hongkonger

References

External links

• Defining Han Identity in Chinese Ethnology and Archaeology Research website on Han identity by Ph. D. candidate
• How the Han Chinese became the world's biggest tribe - Yahoo News/AFP Sept 15, 2004

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