The Asahi Shimbun’s English edition has published an interesting article about growing awareness of Manchurian ethnic identity in China.
Manchus regain lost ethnic awareness through the Internet
…Today, however, a growing number of young Manchus are rekindling pride in their ethnic history and language. The growing interest is being aided by the expanding reach of the Internet, which enables Manchus to learn about their culture and embrace ties with other Manchu people.
In Beijing, volunteers teach Manchu language classes. And in recent years, vocal activists have begun pushing for a reinterpretation of China’s recent history to include a Manchu viewpoint.
Online, heated discussions sometimes arise between Manchu and Han people, like this one recently seen on a bulletin board on the Manchu Net:
A Han person wrote: “If China had not been ruled by the Manchu people, the country would have developed much faster and would today be more like the United States.”
A Manchu person replied: “No. The Manchu ethnic group created the strongest dynasty ever in Chinese history. We must think about China’s current situation from a long-term view of civilization.”…
The Asahi Shimbun article is here; it does not provide any links to the websites it mentions, but here is a selection of Manchurian themed sites:
• Manchuria.cn (mirrored at Manchuren.com, image source)
• Qiren.cn
On the topic of minorities, China Heritage Quarterly has just updated their website with a new issue. The online publication is produced by the China Heritage Project of Australia National University, and their website is treasure trove of articles and photographs about Chinese subjects.
The latest issue focuses on ‘the cultural uniqueness of the north-west: Qinghai, Gansu and Ningxia’.
The issue includes features on Muslim ethnic groups such as the Salar and Dongxiang people, traditional performance arts from the north-west, carpets for Emperor Kangxi, and genitalia, totems and pottery.