China’s Ethnic Relations in Historical Perspective: From the Qing to the People’s Republic
abstract
The geographical region known as ‘China’ has historically been inhabited by many ethnic groups, with the Han (漢) emerging as numerically the largest. Throughout China’s history, ethnic relations have been the most important issue, with direct bearing on political unity or division, war or peace in the region. China’s ethnic relations were marked by incessant conflicts and incorporations between the majority Han and other ethnic groups, or by fighting and integration among the minority ethnic groups themselves. This essay reviews the intricate, historical evolution of China’s ethnic relations in the modern period from the Manchu Qing dynasty (1644‑1911) to the People’s Republic. We focus on the formulation and implementation of the ‘nationality policy’ by the central governments, investigating policy intentions, goals, strengths, and weaknesses. Special attention is paid to some sensitive regions and ethnic groups.
Keywords: Segregation • Autonomy • Migration • Minority regions • Minzu (ethnicity and nationality)