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Chinese Name: 满族
English Name: The Manchu people
Languages: Manchu language 满语, Chinese 汉语
Total population: 1.04*107 (China mainland 2022)
Distribution: Most people live in Liaoning Province
Brief introduction
The Manchu people 满族 is distributed throughout the country, mainly in most cities in northern China, which is a hard-working, brave and wise nation. It is also a nation that is good at collecting foreign cultures and integrating innovation. In the long-term historical development, a custom and culture rich in national characteristics have been formed. The customs of the Manchu at the age are mostly similar to those of the Han 汉族 but still maintain many Manchu characteristics.
Manchu history in short
The northeastern region of China is the hometown of the Manchu people, whose origin is the Jurchen 女真. After the mid-Ming Dynasty 明朝中叶, the various Jurchen tribes competed with each other for superiority, often fighting, forming a chaotic situation of killing each other. This situation was brought to an end after the Qing Emperor Nurhachi 努尔哈赤 unified the various ministries of the Jurchen.
In the early Qing Dynasty 清朝, under the influence of the feudal system of the Han nationality, the Manchus carried out top-down reforms and gradually integrated with the Han nationality, which also made the social economy gradually prosperous.
Religions of the Manchu people
The Manchus once believed in shamanism 萨满教. Manchu shamanism has the four meanings of nature worship, totem worship, ancestor worship and idol worship, so the gods worshipped are many and mixed. In addition, the methods of offering sacrifices are also different, there are distinctive between the court and the public, the rich and the poor, and the region and the family.
Cultures of the Manchu people
Manchu’s Last name 满族的姓氏
The Manchus call their surname Hala, which is rich and complex and full of national cultural characteristics. Generally, a Mukun 穆昆 has only one Hala, but there are also cases where several Mukun belong to the same Hala. According to historical records, there are more than 600 Manchu surnames, second only to the Han nationality among the surnames of all ethnic groups in China. After the Revolution of 1911 辛亥革命, the vast majority of Manchu people generally used Chinese surnames which cause many Manchus to no longer know their old surnames.
Manchu horsemanship 满族的骑射
The Manchus and their ancestors lived in the mountains and forests for a long time, and their proficiency in riding and archery was their special skill, which also left a deep imprint on their living customs. When a child is born, a bow and arrow hang in front of the door, symbolizing that he will become an excellent archer in the future.
When a girl gets married, bows, arrows, and deerskin clothes are necessary items. When they get married, they should put bows and arrows on the heaven and earth table. When the car enters the door, the groom shoots three arrows as a necessary ritual.
Manchu costumes 满族的服饰
Speaking of Manchu clothing, men keep their hair from the top and back of the head, and the braid hangs down the back of the head. After entering the customs in the Qing Dynasty, it was forcibly popularized throughout the country, making it a common hairstyle of the Manchu, Han and Mongolian ethnic groups of the Qing Dynasty.
In the early days, the rich wore sackcloth, while the poor wore roe deer skins. Then, the rich and nobles wore silk and satin, and the commoners wore common clothes, and their clothing was also hierarchical. As ethnic exchanges and integration become closer, the Manchu and Han clothing gradually became the same, and the waistcoats worn by men are still in use today, while the women’s cheongsam has undergone evolution and has now become the representative of traditional women’s clothing in China.
Manchu foods 满族的饮食
Manchu foods are also very distinctive, and the one that best represents the fusion of Manchu and Han food cultures is the “Manchu–Han Imperial Feast 满汉全席“. The selection of ingredients, production and eating methods of its dishes all maintain Manchu characteristics, and most of the mountain treasures such as Hericium Erinaceus, bear’s paw, ginseng, and deer antler are from the Northeast region. It is a fine product that combines Manchu and Chinese cuisine. It was formed in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and has been circulated for more than 200 years.
In daily life, Manchu folk also have many flavour snacks and a wide variety of snacks. Such as millet, yellow rice dry rice and bean bag. Dumplings are eaten during festivals. Every New Year’s Eve, people eat boiled pork, roasted pork and pastries, which are unique to the Manchu people. Moreover, dumplings, hot pots, sauerkraut, and Beijing-style pastries in northern China are closely related to the Manchu food culture.
