China's Minorities (Minzho)

According to an excellent article in the Wall Street Journal, July 11, 2009, by Dru Gladney of Pomona College, California, it is now apparent to the world that China is not a homogeneous society of 'Han' Chinese. It is a land which has officially identified some 60 minorities scattered in an expanse larger than the Han Chinese areas. The many unrests in Tibet (now occupied by China) remained largely unreported. But in an about face policy, China has let the foreign press in to report the recent unrest of the Uighur in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Province. So now the whole world knows of the complexity of China, an area larger than even the ex-Soviet Union, with a mix of population not even seen anywhere in the world, even the USA.
The French said, 'how do you govern a country with so many cheeses?' The Chinese can say, 'how do you govern a country with such an odd mix of minorities?' Sun Yat Sen, the father of modern China said, 'there are 5 peoples of China, the Hans, Mongolians, Manchus, Hui (Muslims) and the Tibetans,' Even among the Hans, there is an immense mix of diversity, there are the elitists in the North (Shanghai, Beijing) and the peasant class in the South (Hakkas, Cantonese, Toishan, Sze Yap etc)
The Southern peasant class, until recently, did not identify themselves as Han Chinese, preferring to be referred to as 'Tang' as in the Tang instead of the Han dynasties. In fact it was the disenfranchised Southern peasant classes who were sold as slaves, they were called 'coolies' to the rest of the world. They went in slave ships or 'Coolie' ships to all over the world to help build the rest of the world. Read Lynn Pan's excellent book, 'Sons of the Yellow Emperor' (now out of print but may be available on Alibris.com) which documented the diaspora of the Chinese. They were the first residents of the 'Chinatowns' all over the world. Many were addicted to Opium, Thanks to the British, the rest picked up the habit in their new habitat. They needed it to help them through the horrendous working and living conditions in their new worlds.
My Grandfather, a Hakka man, was a product of these times in China. He emigrated from Southern China to North Borneo, arriving in a 'Coolie' ship with his pigtails, a holdover from Manchu times. He used to say to us, 'they brought their own chains (pigtails) with them!' Even in the new world, the elitist class from Northern China looked down on their Southern China underclass. I remember a time growing up, we had to hide our minority origin, being Hakka, is anyone knew, would have you be looked down upon. We didn't speak Hakka if we can help it, we only admitted in whispers that we are Hakka if we had to divulge our status. Even our Cantonese Grandmother looked down on us!
Today in China, the minority class is enjoying a change of status. It is now hip to be a minority. In Yunnan Province where I visited recently, lives the majority of China's minorities- the Naxi, Bai, Dai, Yi and so many others, too many to name. Tourists, especially Han Chinese from other parts of China are flocking to Yunnan to see the minorities. China has recognised that their minorities, including the Uighurs are a draw for tourism. They have encouraged their minorities to be more authentic. In fact, the minorities have more advantages than the Han people. They are allowed to practise their culture and religion openly, the one child per family does not apply, they get more assitance and better schools among other things. China recognised that it is hard to created so many jobs to keep a population of 1.2 billion happy. Let the tourists do it, provide jobs and wealth to lift up the standard of living of especially the minorities.
They have opened more than 250 airports to even the remotest areas. They have built more roads and laid more railway tracks than any other country in the world. I have experienced first hand the excellent new roads and the airports. It's never easier to travel in China now. I have seen the incredible new wealth brought in by tourists to little sleepy farming villages in Yunnan. They have still a long way to go but the difference between China today and the 80's when they first opened the country to the world is so immense. It is an economic marvel.
While the Uighurs in Xinjiang might be resentful of their Han occupiers, they could do no better, I think, if they themselves were in charge. They started the unrest, probably spurred on by Uighurs living in the West, envious of the relative calm. The Han Chinese and the minorities in Yunnan knows that it is the duty of every citizen to maintain peace and harmony and build a strong China.
One might look at China today and wondered why they have the boundaries they have. The boundaries reflect the boundaries of the Mongol Empire and also the Manchurian Empire. The Manchus think themselves the rightful heir to the Mongol Empire. Now the PRC thinks that this is the ancestral boundaries of China.

Minority in Kunming

A Naxi woman in Lijiang

Indeed, the minorities are a draw for tourists. I picked Yunnan as the first place in China to visit because of the presence of minorities. My next trip is to Xinjiang, again because of the 'Hui' minority. Then to Tibet to see Tibetans and wherever else to see other minorities. The Han Chinese are too boring.

Any Chinese born outside China are called overseas Chinese, of which, I am one. So when we visit China, we tell them, we are 'Hwa Jiao' or overseas Chinese, the locals understand that we are different. Then they are curious as to where in the world we are from and where in China our ancestors originated. It makes for interesting conversation. A taxi driver mistook me for a local and was indignant when I told him I don't read or write Mandarin. "How can you come back to the motherland? he asked. I said, 'this is not my motherland, I'm an overseas Chinese'. Then he understood my language limitations.

I had fun. It was a great learning experience. I want to do it again!

Postscript: Growing up we had to hide the fact that we were Hakka, one of China's minorities. Today I proclaim with pride that I'm Hakka. I went to China and revealed with pride to whoever wanted to know that I'm Hakka and look at this Hakka woman make good in the world