NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Chinese Han

The Han (Simplified Chinese: 汉族 or 汉人, Traditional Chinese: 漢族 or 漢人; pinyin: hànzú or hànrén) is an ethnic group originating from China. As the ethnic group forming the majority of the Chinese population, it is the largest single human ethnic group in the world, numbering over 1.3 billion people. The Han people constitute about 92 percent of the population of mainland China and about 19 percent of the entire global human population. In contrast to the common Western media portrayal of the Han Chinese as being homogeneous, there are substantial genetic, linguistic, cultural and social differences between its various subgroups. Thousands of years of regionalized assimilation of various ethnic groups and tribes in China is the primary reason for this diversity within the Han. In English, the term "Chinese" is sometimes used to refer to the Han, even though strictly speaking the Chinese encompasses many ethnic groups other than the Han. Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngwén) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: Hànyǔ, Huáyǔ, or Zhōngwén) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... Confucianist temple Thian Hock Keng in Singapore Confucianism (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: RÃºxuÃ© [ ], literally The School of the Scholars; or å”æ•™ KÅng jiÃ o, The Teachings of Confucius) is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. ... Taoism (sometimes written as Daoism) is the English name for: (a) a philosophical school based on the texts the Tao Te Ching (ascribed to Laozi and alternately spelled DÃ o DÃ© JÄ«ng) and the Zhuangzi. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Guan Yin from Mt. ... Chinese traditional religion is the blend of religious practices most Han Chinese practiced for thousands of years. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as Christ. ... A Muslim (Arabic: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…, Turkish: MÃ¼slÃ¼man, Persian and Urdu: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…Ø§Ù†, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... In Mandarin: minxi (ethnic lineages) or zuqun (ethnic groups). ... Overseas Chinese are Chinese people who live outside China. ... The Hui people (Chinese: å›žæ—; Pinyin: ) are a Chinese ethnic group, typically distinguished by their practice of the Islamic religion. ... The term Dungan (Chinese: æ±å¹²æ—; pinyin: ; Ð”ÑƒÐ½Ð³Ð°Ð½Ðµ) was used by the authorities of the former Soviet Union to describe Muslim people of Chinese origin. ... Ethnolinguistic map of China The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is a multi-ethnic unitary state and, as such, officially recognizes 56 nationalities or mÃnzÃº (æ°‘æ—), within China: the Han being the majority (>92%), and the remaining 55 nationalities being the national minorities. ... Sino-Tibetan languages in red. ... The Manchu (manju in Manchu; 滿族 (pinyin: mǎnzú) in Chinese, often shortened to 滿 (pinyin: mǎn) are an ethnic group who originated in northeastern Manchuria. ... Image File history File links Novemberchopin. ... Image File history File links Novemberchopin. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: ç®€ä½“å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡é«”å—; pinyin: jiÇŽntÇzÃ¬; also Simplified Chinese: ç®€åŒ–å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡åŒ–å—; pinyin: jiÇŽnhuÃ zÃ¬) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: HÃ nyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal primates belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin for wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (known as the great apes). ... Earth (IPA: , often referred to as the Earth, Terra, or Planet Earth) is the third planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun, and the fifth largest. ... One thousand million (1,000,000,000) is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001. ... The highlighted area in the map is what is commonly known as mainland China. Mainland China (Simplified Chinese: ä¸å›½å¤§é™†; Traditional Chinese: ä¸åœ‹å¤§é™¸; pinyin: ZhÅnggÃºo DÃ lÃ¹; literally The Chinese Massive Landmass or Continental China) is an informal (disputed â€” see talk page) geographical term which is usually synonymous with the area... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Mandarin: minxi (ethnic lineages) or zuqun (ethnic groups). ...

Terms

"Han" or "Han Chinese" is the ethnic group forming the majority of the Chinese peoples. The name comes from the Han Dynasty which succeeded the short-lived Qin Dynasty that united China. The Zhou Dynasty, which preceded the Qin, was a period of consolidation when the various tribes coalesced into Warring States, which then annexed each other. 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, compared with other ethnic groups around them.[1]. In addition, the Han Dynasty is considered a high point in Chinese civilization, able to expand its power and influences to Central and Northeast Asia. The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following: A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the Peoples Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau) or the Republic of China (Taiwan). ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Han Chau; 206 BCâ€“AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... The Qin Dynasty (Chinese: ç§¦æœ; Pinyin: QÃn ChÃ¡o; Wade-Giles: Chin Chao) (221 BC - 206 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... The Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: å‘¨æœ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: chou chao; 11th century BC to 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ... The Qin Dynasty (Chinese: ç§¦æœ; Pinyin: QÃn ChÃ¡o; Wade-Giles: Chin Chao) (221 BC - 206 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally... The Qin Dynasty (Chinese: ç§¦æœ; Pinyin: QÃn ChÃ¡o; Wade-Giles: Chin Chao) (221 BC - 206 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Han Chau; 206 BCâ€“AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... Cities are a major hallmark of human civilization. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... East Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

In the English language, the term "Chinese" is sometimes confused with "Han", without regard to the other Chinese ethnic groups. The specific words used in Chinese language such as Zhōngguó rén (中國人) and Zhonghua minzu (中華民族) actually refer to Chinese citizens. Han Chinese is a subset of the Chinese nation (Zhonghua minzu). The Peoples Republic of China is a multi-ethnic unitary state and, as such, officially recognizes 55 ethnic minority groups within China together with the Han majority. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... Zhonghua Minzu (Traditional Chinese: ä¸è¯æ°‘æ—; Simplified Chinese: ä¸åŽæ°‘æ—; Hanyu Pinyin: ), is a Mandarin Chinese term that in modern China, describes a notion of a Chinese nationality transcending ethnic divisions- in other words, a civic nationality as opposed to an ethnic one, with a central loyalty to China as a whole. ... Zhonghua Minzu (Traditional Chinese: ä¸è¯æ°‘æ—; Simplified Chinese: ä¸åŽæ°‘æ—; Hanyu Pinyin: ), is a Mandarin Chinese term that in modern China, describes a notion of a Chinese nationality transcending ethnic divisions- in other words, a civic nationality as opposed to an ethnic one, with a central loyalty to China as a whole. ...

Amongst some Southern Han Chinese, a different term exists within various languages like Cantonese, Hakka and Minnan – Tángrén (唐人, literally "the people of Tang"). This term derives from another Chinese dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, which is regarded as another zenith of Chinese civilization. It was during the Tang Dynasty that southern coastal China and the Yue peoples there were fully sinicized. In fact, the term survives in most Chinese references to Chinatown (中國城), known as 唐人街 ("Street of Tang People"). Cantonese (Traditional Chinese: ç²µèªž; Simplified Chinese: ç²¤è¯]], Cantonese: Yuet6yue5; Mandarin pinyin: YuÃ¨yÇ”, lit. ... The Hakka are Han Chinese people whose ancestors are said to have originated in the Henan and Shanxi provinces of northern China over 1,700 years ago. ... Mǐn Nán (Chinese: 閩南語), also spelt as Minnan or Min-nan; native name Bân-lâm-gú; literally means Southern Min or Southern Fujian and refers to the local language/dialect of southern Fujian province, China. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Yue (Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: YÃ¼eh4; also seen as Yueh, Yuet, Viá»‡t) refers to ancient semi-Sinicized or non-Sinicized Chinese peoples of southern China, originally those along the eastern coastline of present-day Zhejiang province and Shanghai. ... The gate to Montreals Chinatown which has Chinese, Japanese and Korean restaurants inside the complex. ...

Another term used commonly to refer to overseas Chinese is Huaren (Simplified Chinese: 华人, Traditional Chinese: 華人; pinyin: huárén), derived from Zhonghua (中華), a literary name for China. 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. Overseas Chinese are Chinese people who live outside China. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: ç®€ä½“å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡é«”å—; pinyin: jiÇŽntÇzÃ¬; also Simplified Chinese: ç®€åŒ–å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡åŒ–å—; pinyin: jiÇŽnhuÃ zÃ¬) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: HÃ nyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme... The different usages and names for China in world languages are generally consistent with how knowledge of Chinas existence first reached each culture, by two distinct routes: the northern land-route through Central Asia to East Asia The land of the Seres became known in the Europe as the...

History

The history of China is detailed by historical records dating as far back as 16th century BC. China is one of the worlds oldest continuous civilizations. ...

Prehistory and the Huaxia

The history of the Han Chinese ethnic group is closely tied to that of China. Han Chinese trace their ancestry back to the Huaxia peoples who lived along the Yellow River in northern China. The famous Chinese historian Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian dates the reign of the Yellow Emperor, the legendary ancestor of Han Chinese, to 2698 BCE to 2599 BCE. 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. Along the central reaches of the Yellow River were the Yangshao culture (5000 BCE to 3000 BCE) and Longshan culture (3000 BCE to 2000 BCE). 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. Huaxia (Traditional Chinese: è¯å¤, Simplified Chinese: åŽå¤) is a name often used to represent China or Chinese civilisation. ... For other Yellow Rivers, see Yellow River (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Records of the Grand Historian or the Records of the Grand Historian of China (Chinese: å²è¨˜; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Shih-chi; literally Historical Records), written from 109 BCE to 91 BCE, was the magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the mythical... Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor or Huang Di (Traditional Chinese: é»ƒå¸; Simplified Chinese: é»„å¸; pinyin: huÃ¡ngdÃ¬) is a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is said to be the ancestor of all Han Chinese. ... 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 which has been investigated using the discipline of archaeology. ... An array of Neolithic artefacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools Excavated dwellings at Skara Brae Scotland, Europes most complete Neolithic village. ... Yangshao culture (ä»°éŸ¶æ–‡åŒ–) was a Neolithic culture that existed extensively along the central Yellow River in China. ... Longshan culture (é¾å±±æ–‡åŒ–) was a late Neolithic culture centered around the central and lower Yellow River in China. ... Gui (é¬¹) from Dawenkou Culture The Dawenkou culture (å¤§æ±¶å£æ–‡åŒ–) is a name given by archaeologists to a group of Neolithic communities who lived primarily in Shandong, but also appeared in Anhui, Henan and Jiangsu, China. ... Longshan culture (é¾å±±æ–‡åŒ–) was a late Neolithic culture centered around the central and lower Yellow River in China. ...

This article is about the extremely ancient Chinese dynasty whose existence has yet to be thoroughly confirmed by archaeology. ...

Early history

Main articles: Xia Dynasty, Shang Dynasty and Zhou Dynasty This article is about the extremely ancient Chinese dynasty whose existence has yet to be thoroughly confirmed by archaeology. ... The ShÄng Dynasty (Chinese: å•†æœ) or YÄ«n Dynasty (æ®·ä»£) (ca. ... The Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: å‘¨æœ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: chou chao; 11th century BC to 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ...

The first dynasty to be described in Chinese historical records is the Xia Dynasty, a legendary period for which scant archaeological evidence exists. They were overthrown by peoples from the east, who formed the Shang Dynasty (1600 BCE - 1046 BCE). Some of the earliest examples of Chinese writing date back to this period, from characters inscribed on oracle bone 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. This article is about the extremely ancient Chinese dynasty whose existence has yet to be thoroughly confirmed by archaeology. ... The ShÄng Dynasty (Chinese: å•†æœ) or YÄ«n Dynasty (æ®·ä»£) (ca. ... Ninjas are the best ever Categories: | ...

The Zhou Dynasty was the successor to Shang. 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. The Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: å‘¨æœ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: chou chao; 11th century BC to 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ... Afternoon light on the jagged grey mountains rising from the Yangtze River gorge The Yangtze River or Chang Jiang is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. ... Sinicization, or Sinification, is to make things Chinese. ...

Culture

Part of one of the world's oldest and most complex civilizations, Chinese culture dates back thousands of years. Han Chinese believe they share common ancestors, mythically ascribed to the patriarchs Yellow Emperor and Yan Emperor, some thousands of years ago. Hence some Han 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. Ornamental jar from the Kingdom of Wu (222-280 CE) of the Three Kingdoms period. ... Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor or Huang Di (Traditional Chinese: é»ƒå¸; Simplified Chinese: é»„å¸; pinyin: huÃ¡ngdÃ¬) is a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is said to be the ancestor of all Han Chinese. ... Shennong (Traditional Chinese: 神農; Simplified Chinese: 神农; pinyin: Shénnóng), sometimes known as the Yan Emperor (炎帝), is a legendary emperor and culture hero of Chinese mythology who is believed to have lived some 5,000 years ago and who taught the ancients the practices of... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiǎntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiǎnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Politics is a process by which decisions are made within groups. ... The highlighted area in the map is what is commonly known as mainland China. Mainland China (Simplified Chinese: ä¸å›½å¤§é™†; Traditional Chinese: ä¸åœ‹å¤§é™¸; pinyin: ZhÅnggÃºo DÃ lÃ¹; literally The Chinese Massive Landmass or Continental China) is an informal (disputed â€” see talk page) geographical term which is usually synonymous with the area...

Throughout the history of China, Chinese culture has been heavily influenced by Confucianism. 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. The history of China is detailed by historical records dating as far back as 16th century BC. China is one of the worlds oldest continuous civilizations. ... Confucianist temple Thian Hock Keng in Singapore Confucianism (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: RÃºxuÃ© [ ], literally The School of the Scholars; or å”æ•™ KÅng jiÃ o, The Teachings of Confucius) is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. ... The imperial examinations (Chinese: ç§‘èˆ‰; Pinyin: kÄ“jÇ”) in dynastic China determined positions in the civil service based on merit and education, which promoted upward mobility among the population for centuries. ...

Language

Han Chinese all speak some form of Chinese languages; 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." Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: ç®€ä½“å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡é«”å—; pinyin: jiÇŽntÇzÃ¬; also Simplified Chinese: ç®€åŒ–å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡åŒ–å—; pinyin: jiÇŽnhuÃ zÃ¬) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: ç®€ä½“å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡é«”å—; pinyin: jiÇŽntÇzÃ¬; also Simplified Chinese: ç®€åŒ–å—; Traditional Chinese: ç°¡åŒ–å—; pinyin: jiÇŽnhuÃ zÃ¬) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ...

Names

Chinese names are typically two or three syllables in length, with the surname followed by the given name. 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. Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western culture. ... A Chinese surname, family name (Chinese: å§“; Hanyu Pinyin: or clan name æ°; shÃ¬), is one of the hundreds or thousands of family names that have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, and among ethnic Chinese in overseas Chinese communities. ... Chinese given names (Chinese: åå—; pinyin: mÃngzÃ¬) are made up of one or two characters. ...

There are 4000 to 6000 surnames in China, but only around 1000 surnames are popularly used. According to a study by Li Dongming (李栋明), a Chinese historian, as published in the article "Surname" (姓) in Dongfong Magazine (东方杂志) (1977), the common Han surnames are:

Top 10 common surnames, which together account for about 40% of Chinese people in the world, (trasciptions in Pinyin): Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: HÃ nyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme...

Zhang 張/张, Wang 王, Li 李, Zhao 趙/赵, Chen 陳/陈, Yang 楊/杨, Wu 吳/吴, Liu 劉/刘, Huang 黃/黄, Zhou 周 Zhang (Traditional Chinese: 張, Simplified Chinese: 张, pinyin: Zhāng, Wade-Giles: Chang, Yale: Jeung, Jyutping: Zoeng1, Hong Kong Government: Cheung) is among the most common Chinese surnames. ... Wang may refer to: Wang (surname) Chinese nobility#Wang (King) and Huangdi (Emperor) (see also Chinese sovereign) Korean nobility#King Wang Laboratories Wang River in Thailand Wang Film Productions An abbreviation for the town of Wangaratta, Victoria Wang is a (primarily North American) slang term for a penis. ... Li or li may refer to: Lee or Li is a transliteration of several Chinese and Korean family names, see Li (Chinese name) and Lee (Korean name). ... Zhao (pinyin: zhÃ o, Wade-Giles: Chao, simplified Chinese: èµµ, traditional Chinese: è¶™) is a common Chinese family name. ... Look up Chen in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up yang in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wu may refer to: Wu (Chinese word) Wu (region), a region in China, associated with: Wu (linguistics), a subdivision of spoken Chinese spoken in the Wu region State of Wu, a state in the Wu region during the Spring and Autumn Period Kingdom of Wu, a state in southeastern China... Liu is a Chinese family name. ... Huang is the transliteration of the Chinese surname (Simplified Chinese: é»„; Traditional Chinese: é»ƒ; Hanyu Pinyin: ), which also has the literal meaning yellow. ... Zhou refers to Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC) or Zhou state Zhou Dynasty (690 AD - 705 AD) Zhou (political division) â€” Zhou is the name of a political/administrative division of China. ...

The 11th to 20th common surnames, which together account for more than 10% of Chinese people in the world:

Xu 徐, Zhu 朱, Lin 林, Sun 孫/孙, Ma 馬/马, Gao 高, Hu 胡, Zheng 鄭/郑, Guo 郭, Xiao 蕭/萧 Xu can be a pinyin transliteration of one of several Chinese surnames: å¾ (pinyin XÃº, also spelled Hsu or Tsui or Eu) è¨± (traditional) or è®¸ (simplified), (pinyin XÇ”, also spelled Hui or Hii) In this context it is pronounced somewhat like Shoo or simply Shh. ... Chopsticks is also the name of a simple piece of music for piano. ... Lin can be a pinyin transcription of one of several Chinese surnames, with æž— (pinyin LÃn) being overwhelmingly the most common. ... Sun is a transliteration of a common Chinese surname, written å« (Traditional) or å™ (simplified) in Chinese characters, sÅ«n in Hanyu pinyin. ... MA may stand for: Master of Arts, a post-graduate academic degree Master of Arts, an undergraduate degree in Scotland MA (complexity), a complexity class, comprising the languages decidable by interactive proof systems of the Merlin-Arthur type Madagascar (FIPS 10-4 country code) Main Assist: in MMORPGs (massively multiplayer... Gao is a city in Mali on the River Niger with a population of about 38,000 people. ... HU may mean: Hungary (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code) Humboldt University of Berlin in Berlin, Germany Haigazian University in Beirut, Lebanon Car designation for Hanau, Germany Car designation for Huesca, Spain Hackers Union (H.U.) - a very bad hackers club created by some sad teenagers in the... Zheng has at least two meanings: The zheng is a Chinese plucked instrument named for its sound. ... Guo, written in Chinese: éƒ, is one of the most popular Chinese surnames and means city surrounded by a wall in Chinese; it can also be spelled Kuo, Kwok or Kuok. ... Xiao can mean: Xiao â€” Chinese end-blown flute. ...

The 21st to 30th common surnames, which together account about 10% of Chinese people in the world:

Xie 謝/谢, He 何, Xu 許/许, Song 宋, Shen 沈, Luo 羅/罗, Han 韓/韩, Deng 鄧/邓, Liang 梁, Ye 業/叶 It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Tse (surname). ... Look up HE, He, and he in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Xu can be a pinyin transliteration of one of several Chinese surnames: å¾ (pinyin XÃº, also spelled Hsu or Tsui or Eu) è¨± (traditional) or è®¸ (simplified), (pinyin XÇ”, also spelled Hui or Hii) In this context it is pronounced somewhat like Shoo or simply Shh. ... A song is a relatively short musical composition for the human voice (possibly accompanied by other musical instruments), which features words (lyrics). ... Shen can refer to the supreme kai in the Japanese anime series Dragon Ball Z. an abbrievation for Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China. ... The Lwo (also Lwoo or Luo) are a family of linguistically-related ethnic groups (tribes) which live in an area that stretches from the south of Sudan, through Northern Uganda and Eastern Congo (DRC), into Western Kenya, and ending in the upper tip of Tanzania. ... // Han in China Chinese (æ¼¢), an abbreviation or adjectival modifier for things Chinese. ... Deng may mean: The Chinese surname Deng Deng Xiaoping, ruler of China from 1979 or 1980 until his death in 1997 DÃ¨ng LÃ¬jÅ«n, one of the most famous singers in Asia, from Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. ... Liang, a Chinese surname common in southern China. ... The two letter acronym YE can refer to: Young Entrepreneur, an entrepreneur who generally started young Yemen, the Republic of Yemen This page expands and disambiguates a two-letter combination which might be an abbreviation, an English word, a word in another language, any or all of these. ...

The remaining 15 common surnames, which together account for about 10% of Chinese people in the world:

Fang 方, Cui 崔, Cheng 程、Pan 潘, Cao 曹, Feng 馮/冯, Wang 汪, Cai 蔡, Yuan 袁, Lu 盧/卢, Tang 唐, Qian 錢/钱, Du 杜, Peng 彭, Lu 陸/陆 Fang may mean: Fang (Harry Potter), a pet of Hagrid in the Harry Potter series Fang (band), a California punk band The Fang people of Central Africa A canine tooth A common Chinese surname (æ–¹), and less common ones (é˜²,æˆ¿ etc. ... Cui may refer to one of the following: CÃ©sar Cui was a Russian composer. ... Cheng can be a transcription of one of several Chinese surnames. ... Look up Pan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The letters CAO are used to denote several things: Central Applications Office - Irish organisation that oversees tertiary education applications Chief Administrative Officer of a company Chief Accounting Officer of a company Collectieve Arbeids Overeenkomst (Collective Work Agreement), Dutch term for a collective employment contract framework Computer Aided Optimization Computer Assisted... The surname Feng descended from the 15th son of Zhou Wen Wang, Bi Gong Gao, whose last name was Ji. ... Wang may refer to: Wang (surname) Chinese nobility#Wang (King) and Huangdi (Emperor) (see also Chinese sovereign) Korean nobility#King Wang Laboratories Wang River in Thailand Wang Film Productions An abbreviation for the town of Wangaratta, Victoria Wang is a (primarily North American) slang term for a penis. ... CÃ i (è”¡) is the 24th most common Chinese family surname. ... It has been suggested that Chinese yuan be merged into this article or section. ... Lu or LU may stand for: Lehigh University, prestigious private 4-year university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. ... Tang could refer to: Tang Dynasty of China Tang (Shang dynasty ruler) Transliteration of Chinese family names such as å”,æ¹¯,é„§,é‚“,æ»• Tang Clan of Hong Kong, the first inhabitants to leave China and settle in Hong Kong. ... Qian can be: Qián (黔), a traditional name for Guizhou Qián (Simplified: 钱 Traditional: 錢), a Chinese surname or money This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... DU, Du, or du may refer to: DU Data unit Delhi University Delta Upsilon Democratic Underground Depleted uranium Desktop underwriter Dial-up access Disney University Dobson unit Doctor of the University Drexel University Ducks Unlimited Duisburg (city code plate prefix) Duke University Hemus Air (IATA airline designator) University of Denver... Kun (鯤 kun1) and Peng (鵬) In Chinese mythology, (translated from ancient literature Zhuang Zis Xiao Yiao Yao 逍遙遊) there live a kind of giant mysterious fish in the northern sea. ... Lu or LU may stand for: Lehigh University, prestigious private 4-year university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. ...

Dress

Han Chinese nowadays usually wear Western-style clothing. Traditional Han Chinese clothing is now largely extinct. It is, however, preserved in religious and ceremonial costumes. For example, Taoist priests dress in fashion typical of scholars of the Han Dynasty. The ceremonial dress in Japan, such as those of Shinto priests, are largely in line with ceremonial dress in China during the Tang dynasty. The traditional Chinese clothing worn by many Chinese females in important occasions such as wedding banquets and Chinese New Year is called the qipao. Ironically, 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 17th (1644) and the early 20th Century. See Occident (movement) for the French political movement. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Taoism (sometimes written as Daoism) is the English name for: (a) a philosophical school based on the texts the Tao Te Ching (ascribed to Laozi and alternately spelled DÃ o DÃ© JÄ«ng) and the Zhuangzi. ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Han Chau; 206 BCâ€“AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Two women wear qipao in this 1930s Shanghai advertisement. ... The Manchu (Manchu: Manju; Simplified Chinese: æ»¡æ—; Traditional Chinese: æ»¿æ—; pinyin: MÇŽnzÃº) are a Tungusic people who originated in Manchuria (todays Northeast China). ...

Contribution to humanity

Han Chinese have played a major role in the development of the arts, sciences, philosophy, and mathematics throughout history. In ancient times, the scientific accomplishments of China included seismological detectors, matches, paper, dry docks, sliding calipers, the double-action piston pump, cast iron, the iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the wheelbarrow, the suspension bridge, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the relief map, the propeller, the crossbow, gunpowder and printing. Paper, printing, the compass, and gunpowder are celebrated in Chinese culture as the Four Great Inventions of ancient China. Chinese astronomers were also among the first to record observations of a supernova. The Arts is a broad subdivision of culture, comprised of many expressive disciplines. ... For the scientific journal named Science, see Science (journal). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Euclid, Greek mathematician, 3rd century BC, known today as the father of geometry; shown here in a detail of The School of Athens by Raphael. ... Cai Lun, widely regarded as the inventor of paper The Four Great Inventions of ancient China (Chinese: å››å¤§å‘æ˜Ž; Pinyin: SÃ¬ dÃ fÄ mÃng) are the compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and printing. ...

Chinese art, 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. 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. Chinese art is art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists or performers. ... Yin/Yang symbol and ba gua poopoo outside of Nanning city, Guangxi province. ... // [edit] Classical texts Main article: Chinese classic texts China has a wealth of classical literature, both poetry and prose, dating from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BCE) and including the Classics attributed to Confucius. ... The Great Wall in the winter The Great Wall of China (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: WÃ nlÇ ChÃ¡ngchÃ©ng; literally 10,000 Li (é‡Œ)Â¹ long wall) is a Chinese fortification built from the 14th century until the beginning of the 17th century, in order to protect the various dynasties... View of the largest excavation pit of the Terracotta Army. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... UNESCO logo UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... Map showing the Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage by country designation as of 2005: red (countries with 4 designations), orange (3), yellow (2) and green (1). ...

Throughout much of history, successive Chinese states have exerted influence on their neighbors in the areas of art, music, religion, food, dress, philosophy, language, government, and culture. 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. Overseas Chinese are Chinese people who live outside China. ...

Language as a uniting factor

Despite the existence of many dialects of Chinese spoken languages, one factor in Han ethnic unity is the Chinese written language. This unity is credited to the Qin dynasty which unified the various forms of writing that existed in China at that time. 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. Since the 20th 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 informal use of written Cantonese). 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. Spoken Chinese The Chinese spoken language(s) comprise(s) many regional variants. ... Various styles of Chinese calligraphy. ... The Qin Dynasty (Chinese: ç§¦æœ; Pinyin: QÃn ChÃ¡o; Wade-Giles: Chin Chao) (221 BC - 206 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of very old forms of Chinese , making it very different from any modern spoken form of Chinese. ... The Chinese written language consists of a writing system stretching back nearly 4000 years. ... Vernacular Chinese (pinyin: bÃ¡ihuÃ ; Wade-Giles: paihua) is a style or register of the written Chinese language essentially modeled after the spoken language and associated with Standard Mandarin. ... Mandarin, or Beifanghua (Chinese: åŒ—æ–¹è©±; Pinyin: BÄ›ifÄnghuÃ ; literally Northern Dialect(s)), or Guanhua (Traditional Chinese: å®˜è©±; Simplified Chinese: å®˜è¯; Pinyin: GuÄnhuÃ ; literally official speech) is a category of related Chinese dialects spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. ... Written Cantonese refers to the written language used to write colloquial standard Cantonese using Chinese characters. ...

"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.^[1]. Today, Hui Chinese are considered a separate nationality, 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. 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. Upon its founding, the Republic of China recognized five major nationalities: the Han, Hui, Mongols, Manchus, and Tibetans, while the People's Republic of China now recognizes fifty-six nationalities. The Hakka are Han Chinese people whose ancestors are said to have originated in the Henan and Shanxi provinces of northern China over 1,700 years ago. ... noobs Categories: Hainan | Hong Kong | Macau | Ethnic groups of Vietnam ... The Zhuang (Simplified Chinese: å£®æ—; Traditional Chinese: å£¯æ—; Hanyu Pinyin: ; own name: BouÑ‡cueÅ‹ÑŒ/Bouxcuengh) are an ethnic group of people who mostly live in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. ... The Hui people (Chinese: å›žæ—; Pinyin: ) are a Chinese ethnic group, typically distinguished by their practice of the Islamic religion. ... The Qing Dynasty (Chinese: ; Pinyin: QÄ«ng chÃ¡o; Wade-Giles: Ching chao; Manchu: daicing gurun), occasionally known as the Manchu Dynasty, is a Chinese term for the Empire of the Great Qing (Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: dÃ qÄ«ngguÃ³), founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what... The Eight Banners (In Manchu: jakÅ«n gÅ«sa, In Chinese: æ—— baqÃ) were administrative divisions into which all Manchu families were placed. ... The Manchu (Manchu: Manju; Simplified Chinese: æ»¡æ—; Traditional Chinese: æ»¿æ—; pinyin: MÇŽnzÃº) are a Tungusic people who originated in Manchuria (todays Northeast China). ... The May Fourth Movement in 1919 marked a turning point in the history of Chinese nationalism. ... Motto: None Anthem(s): National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei City (de facto) Nanjing (de jure)1 Largest city Taipei City Official language(s) Mandarin (GuÃ³yÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system - President Chen Shui-bian - Vice President Annette Lu - Premier Su Tseng-chang Establishment Xinhai Revolution - Declared... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Manchu (Manchu: Manju; Simplified Chinese: æ»¡æ—; Traditional Chinese: æ»¿æ—; pinyin: MÇŽnzÃº) are a Tungusic people who originated in Manchuria (todays Northeast China). ... Ethnolinguistic Groups of Tibet, 1967 ( See entire map, which includes a key) Ethnic Tibetan autonomous entities set up by the Peoples Republic of China. ... // Officially recognised ethnic groups in China In order of population, this is the list of ethnic groups in China that are officially recognised by the government of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

Han diversity

In addition to a diversity of spoken language, there are also regional differences in culture among Han Chinese. For example, China's cuisine varies from Sichuan's famously spicy food to Guangdong's Dim Sum and fresh seafood. However, ethnic unity still exists between these two groups because of common cultural, behavioural, linguistic, and religious practices. (Chinese: å››å·; Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ssu-ch`uan; Postal Pinyin: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... China, and should not be confused with the former Kwantung Leased Territory in north-eastern China. ... Dim sum (Chinese: 點心; Cantonese IPA: dɪm2sɐm1; Pinyin: diǎnxīn; Wade-Giles: tien-hsin; literally dot heart or order heart, meaning order to ones hearts content; also commonly translated as touch the heart, dotted heart, or snack), a Cantonese term... An ethnic group is a group of people who identify with one another, or are so identified by others, on the basis of a boundary that distinguishes them from other groups. ...

According to recent scientific studies^[2], there are slight 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. However, the mitochondrial DNA of Han Chinese increases in diversity as one looks from Northern to Southern China. This further provides evidence of migration of Han Chinese from Northern to Southern China. As the Han people migrated into Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions of Southern China, they mixed with the local populations there, possibly the Yue people. As this mixing process continued and more Han people migrated south, the people in Southern China became Sinicized and identified themselves as Han. Alternative meaning: In geology, North China (continent) and South China (continent) were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern and southern China. ... Alternative meaning: In geology, North China (continent) and South China (continent) were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern and southern China. ... The human Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes, it contains the genes that cause testis development, thus determining maleness. ... Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is DNA that is located in mitochondria. ... China, and should not be confused with the former Kwantung Leased Territory in north-eastern China. ... (Chinese: ç¦å»º; Pinyin: FÃºjiÃ n; Wade-Giles: Fu-chien; Postal System Pinyin: Fukien, Foukien; local transliteration Hokkien from Min Nan Hok-kiÃ n) is one of the provinces on the southeast coast of China. ... Sinicization, or less commonly Sinification, is to make things Chinese. ...

Historical documentation indicates that the Han were descended from the ancient Huaxia tribes of northern China. 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. 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 (Traditional Chinese: è¯å¤, Simplified Chinese: åŽå¤) is a name often used to represent China or Chinese civilisation. ... Dai or DAI can mean: Distributed artificial intelligence, a subfield of artificial intelligence Dai people, one of the 56 recognized ethnic minorities of China Diffuse axonal injury, a type of traumatic brain injury Do As Infinity, a Japanese band State of Dai was a Xianbei state during the Sixteen Kingdoms... Austro-Asiatic languages 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. ... Huaxia (Traditional Chinese: è¯å¤, Simplified Chinese: åŽå¤) is a name often used to represent China or Chinese civilisation. ... For other Yellow Rivers, see Yellow River (disambiguation). ...

For example, during the Shang Dynasty people of the Wu area, in the Yangtze River Delta, was considered a "barbarian" tribe. They spoke a distinct language that was almost certainly non-Chinese, 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 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. The ShÄng Dynasty (Chinese: å•†æœ) or YÄ«n Dynasty (æ®·ä»£) (ca. ... Wu may refer to: Wu (Chinese word) Wu (region), a region in China, associated with: Wu (linguistics), a subdivision of spoken Chinese spoken in the Wu region State of Wu, a state in the Wu region during the Spring and Autumn Period Kingdom of Wu, a state in southeastern China... Yangtze River Delta The Yangtze River Delta (Chinese é•¿æ±Ÿä¸‰è§’æ´²/é•·æ±Ÿä¸‰è§’æ´² chÃ¡ngjiÄng sÄnjiÇŽozhÅu) or Yangtze Delta, generally comprises the triangular-shaped territory of Shanghai, southern Jiangsu province and northern Zhejiang province. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Shanghai (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Shanghainese: ), stuated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, is the largest city of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Wu (å³æ–¹è¨€ pinyin wÃº fÄng yÃ¡n; å³èªž pinyin wÃº yÇ” lumazi wu niu(nyu)) is one of the major divisions of the Chinese language. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ...

References

Contents

Terms

History

Prehistory and the Huaxia

Early history

Culture

Language

Names

Dress

Contribution to humanity

Language as a uniting factor

"Han" as a fluid concept

Han diversity

References

See also

External links

One quick question before you continue, thanks!

Which of the following describes you?

Contents

Terms GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

History

Prehistory and the Huaxia

Early history

Culture

Language

Names

Dress

Contribution to humanity

Language as a uniting factor

"Han" as a fluid concept

Han diversity

References

See also

External links

One quick question before you continue, thanks!

Which of the following describes you?

Terms