China has a history of over 5,000 years. This history can be confusing, especially considering the many people who make up present-day China.
The Manchu people are the people who lived for centuries in what is known as Manchurian or Northeast China. They were the rulers during the Chinese Qing Dynasty. China categorizes the Manchu as an ethnic minority. Over 92% of everyone in China considers themselves Han Chinese. Han Chinese is the majority group in China.
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About The Manchu Chinese People
The Manchu people, also known as Manchurians, lived in Manchuria for many centuries. Manchuria, also called the northeast of China, consists of the modern-day provinces of Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and some parts of northeastern Inner Mongolia. The Manchurian territory borders Russia and North Korea.
The term Manchu dates from the 16th Century, so it is not a term that was always used in China to describe this group of people. Here are some of the Manchu names used in China’s history.
| Period of Time | Name Used For Manchu People |
| Early Chinese Records | Donghui or Eastern Barbarians |
| 3rd Century | Sushen or Yilou |
| 4th to 7th Century | Wuji or Momo |
| 10th Century | Juchen |
| 16th Century Onward | Manchu, Manchurian |
The Manchu have been around for a while, but different names are used throughout Chinese history.
The Manchu are most widely known to be the rulers of China under the Qing Dynasty from 1644 to about 1911. They are descendants of the Juchen tribes that ruled China in the Jin Dynasty in the 12th Century.
During the Ming Dynasty, the Manchu paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty. Still, more importantly, they started to get to know soldiers and military people in China- Manchurian border areas. Many of these Chinese soldiers mingled with the Manchu military and started to take on Manchu names and their tribal customs.
Other Chinese became bondservants who worked the land to help manage the trade of ginseng roots, precious stones, and furs with China, Manchuria, and Korea. Later, many of these same bonded servants became influential leaders under the Manchurian Qing Dynasty.
In China today, just over 10 million people identify themselves as Manchu. Most of them do not speak the Manchu language but speak Mandarin Chinese.
Manchu is considered an ethnic group in China. Most of the Manchu still live in the northeast part of China.
About The Han Chinese People
The majority of people in China are considered Han Chinese. The Han Chinese make up about 92% of all the Chinese that live in Mainland China or the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
When you think of China or Chinese people, the Han Chinese are what most people think about China or Chinese people. Chinese culture is Han Culture, and Han Culture is Chinese culture. The Han are Chinese are the same.
The Han Chinese are also the world’s largest ethnic group; 18% of all people are considered Han Chinese.
The name Han comes from the Han Dynasty, which ruled China from 292 BC to 220 AD. Though the Han Dynasty did not unite China, it is the one dynasty romanticized through Chinese literature and the arts.
The homeland for the Han people is essentially almost all of China. This is because the Han are the majority group within China. Any Chinese people you meet will more than likely be Han Chinese.
Today, Mandarin Chinese is known as Han Zi, which is the language of the Han people.
Han Chinese People Vs. Manchu Chinese People Explained
Even though the Han and Manchu people come from China, they are technically not the same people or have the same history.
China categorizes both as Ethnic minorities within China, but technically speaking, Han Chinese is not a minority. It is the majority in China. Most Chinese people are Han Chinese.
Manchu or Manchurian is an ethnic minority, with just over 10 million people identifying as Manchu or Manchurians. But unlike many other Chinese minorities, most Manchu people have assimilated into the Han culture and do not even speak the Manchu language.
The differences between the Han and Manchu people were more pronounced at one time. They would have seen themselves as two distinct groups with very different cultures and languages.
But the line has been blurred over the years, and much of this has to do with the language. United Nations Cultural Organization or UNESCO has rated Manchu as one language that is at imminent threat of extinction. Very few Manchu people in China can even speak Manchurian anymore.
The extinction of the Manchu language happened very quickly after the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. Manchu was once the official language of the Qing dynasty, as it was spoken at the Chinese royal court and in the government.
In China today, it would be tough to tell the difference between Han Chinese and Manchu Chinese; most Manchu people have assimilated fully into Chinese society.
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Related Questions
Manchu VS. Ming, Differences Explained
The Manchu is a group of people who are also known as Manchurians. They ruled China from 1644 to 1911 and are considered China’s last dynasty. Ming is not a group of people but is a dynasty of China led by Han Chinese. The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644.
You can learn more by reading Manchu VS. Ming, Differences Explained by clicking here.
What Happened To The Manchu People In China?
After the collapse of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu people continued to live in China. The Chinese government categorizes the Manchu people as a Chinese ethnic group. It is estimated that just over 10 million Manchu ethnic minorities live mainly in Northeastern China.
To learn more, you can read our blog on What Happened To The Manchu People In China? by clicking here.
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