New Book, Knowing Your Roots, Prologue

 

Prologue

 

In a way, we have to thank the Qing (清) dynasty (1636–1912, 276 years) for what China is today, geographically speaking. Of course, land mass that the Yuan (元) dynasty (1271–1368, 97 years) controlled was even larger. The ruling classes of both Yuan and Qing were non-Han, the former being Mongolians, and the latter, Manchus. These were not the only two non-Han periods in Chinese history. As far back as the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), northern tribes Xiong-Nu (匈奴 Xiōng-Nú) had already begun to intrude into China. Fortunately, the dynasty was strong enough to survive and in fact expanded territorially somewhat.

During the Chin (晉, conventionally spelt as Jìn) period (265-420, 155 years), many parts of China fell prey to tribal forces from the north and established polities during the era, significantly the Wu-Hu (五胡Wǔ Hú) reigns. There were as many as 16 states ruling the various parts of the country during that period.

Even the heritage of the founding emperor of the Tang (唐) dynasty (618–690, 705–907, 274 years) is questionable. Many scholars believe he was Xian-Bei (鮮卑 Xiān-Bēi), a Pro-Mongolic people in origin. (But some think he was only 25% Xian-Bei.)

After Tang, China lapsed into another period of political instability, and the areas in the north were ruled successively by non-Han dynasties, most significantly of which is Liao (辽 Liáo) – of Khi-Tan (契丹) tribe – which ruled a large land mass in the north from 916 to 1125 (209 years). Even after the founding of Song (宋) (960-1129, 165 years), it had to share China with Jin (金), of Jur-Chen (女真 Nǚ-Zhēn) tribe. Jin existed from 1115 to 1234 (119 years).

There were also civil wars. The first lasted about 250 years, in a period called the Warring States (战国时代 – Zhàn-Guó Shí-Dài) [475–221 BC] during the Zhou (周 Zhōu) dynasty’s long, albeit weak, reigns. The second was during the Three Kingdoms period (三国时代 – Sān-Guó Shí-Dài) [220-265]. Much blood was shed because of the battles and the wars. Many million lost their lives.

No sooner had Sun Yat-sen ushered in a republic government than the warlords began to undermine its stability. And soon Japan invaded. Even fighting Japanese was not a coherent effort; there was much rivalry between Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang (Kuo-Min Tang 国民党) government and Mao Zedong’s forces.  

It can therefore be surmised that China (or at least some parts of it) has been variously ruled by non-Han Chinese for more than 800 years of its existence, and in between there were also civil wars when Chinese fought Chinese. Even today, the US is doing everything possible to make sure that Taiwan does not become a part of China. A unified China is still very much a tall order.  

Today, there are 56 ethnic groups living in mainland China. Han Chinese account for about 90% of Its total population. The major minority ethnic groups are Zhuang, Hui, Manchu, and Uyghur. Everyone is equal, but the Chinese government does give the ethnic minorities some affirmative advantages especially in education and healthcare.

The Han culture is “magnetic” or suctional. Yuan’s Mongols and Qing’s Manchus became Sinicized when they ruled China-proper. So had many of the northern tribes who lorded the Hans during the various minor dynasties in China’s history.

Proud to be ethnically Chinese!