Ethnic groups in Chinese history

Any non clear-cut connection is denoted by a question mark (?) beside the equivalences. As many ethnic groups have appeared in history, this table is certainly not complete. The purpose of this page is to stimulate conversation and constructive arguments on connecting Eastern and Western knowledge of those ethnic groups.

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Pinyin Romanization

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Names in Chinese characters and Pronunciation

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Approximate residence according to Chinese texts

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Time of appearance in the history of China

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Equivalence(s) in World history

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Time of appearance outside China

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Descendant(s)

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Miao

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苗 (miao2)

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Various areas stretching from provinces (Hebei, Shanxi) north of the Huang He to Yunnan province

Related Topics:
Hebei - Shanxi - Huang He - Yunnan

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As early as 25th century B.C. to present

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Miao

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see Miao

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Laotians, ethnic groups in China, America and Europe

Related Topics:
Laotians - China

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Xiongnu, Xianyun

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匈奴 (xiong1 nu2), 玁狁 (xian3 yun3)

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Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang

Related Topics:
Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Shanxi - Shaanxi - Gansu - Ningxia - Xinjiang

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6th century B.C. ? to late 1st century for Northern Xiongnu who migrated westward after that period. Southern Xiongnu remained active until mid 5th century then assimilated into Chinese

Related Topics:
6th century B.C. - 1st century - 5th century

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Huns

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late 4th century to mid 6th century in Europe

Related Topics:
4th century - 6th century - Europe

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No known descendants

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Yuezhi

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月氏 (Yue4 Zhi1)

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Gansu, Xinjiang

Related Topics:
Gansu - Xinjiang

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6th century B.C. ? to 162 B.C., then driven out by Xiongnu.

Related Topics:
6th century B.C. - 162 B.C.

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Kushans, Tocharians?

Related Topics:
Kushan - Tocharians

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mid 2nd century B.C. in Central Asia

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No known descendants

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Wuhuan

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烏桓 (wu1 huan2)

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western portions of Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces) and Inner Mongolia

Related Topics:
Manchuria - Heilongjiang - Jilin - Liaoning - Inner Mongolia

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4th century B.C. to late 3rd century, assimilated into Chinese

Related Topics:
4th century B.C. - 3rd century

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No known equivalence

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N/A

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No known descendants

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Xianbei

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鮮卑 (xian1 bei1)

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Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces), Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. Moved into areas north of the Huang He as they founded a dynasty there.

Related Topics:
Manchuria - Heilongjiang - Jilin - Liaoning - Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Huang He - Dynasty

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4th century B.C. ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese

Related Topics:
4th century B.C. - 6th century

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No known equivalence, possibly prototurks Tuoba (Tabgač?)

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N/A

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No known descendants

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Qiang

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羌 (qiang1)

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Gansu, Qinghai, westren portion of Sichuan, eastern portion of Xinjiang and northeastern portion of Tibet

Related Topics:
Gansu - Qinghai - Sichuan - Xinjiang

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4th century B.C. ? to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese

Related Topics:
4th century B.C. - 5th century

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No known equivalence

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N/A

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as minorities in Sichuan

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Di

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氐 (di1)

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Areas of neighboring borders of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Shaanxi

Related Topics:
Gansu - Qinghai - Sichuan - Shaanxi

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8th century B.C. ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese

Related Topics:
8th century B.C. - 6th century

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No known equivalence

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N/A

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as minorities in Sichuan

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Jie

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羯 (jie2)

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Shanxi province

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late 2nd century to mid 4th century, assimilated into Chinese

Related Topics:
2nd century - 4th century

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No known equivalence

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N/A

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No known descendants

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Dingling, Gaoche, Shule

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丁零 (ding1 ling2), 高車 (gao1 che1), 疏勒 (shu1 le4)

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banks of Lake Baikal and on the borders of Today Mongolia and Russia then migrated to Shanxi province and Xinjiang region

Related Topics:
Lake Baikal - Mongolia - Russia - Shanxi - Xinjiang

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1st century BC to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese

Related Topics:
1st century BC - 5th century

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?

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?

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some descendants still living by the lake ?

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Rouran, Ruru,

Related Topics:
Rouran - Ruru

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柔然 (rou2 ran2), 蠕蠕 (ru2 ru2), 茹茹 (ru2 ru2)

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Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang

Related Topics:
Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Shanxi - Shaanxi - Gansu - Ningxia - Xinjiang

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early 3rd century to early 6th century

Related Topics:
3rd century - 6th century

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Avars?

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late 6th century to early 9th century

Related Topics:
6th century - 9th century

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descendants living in today Daghestan?

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Tujue

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突厥 (tu2 jue2)

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Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, eastern portion of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Related Topics:
Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Shanxi - Shaanxi - Gansu - Ningxia - Xinjiang - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan

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late 5th century to mid 10th century

Related Topics:
5th century - 10th century

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Gokturks

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mid 6th century to early 9th century

Related Topics:
6th century - 9th century

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The western Turks migrated to modern-day Turkey while the eastern Turks assimiliated to the Uyghurs in Xinjiang

Related Topics:
Turkey - Uyghur

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Huihe

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回紇 (hui2 he2)

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Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia

Related Topics:
Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Shanxi - Shaanxi - Gansu - Ningxia

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early 7th century to mid 10th century

Related Topics:
7th century - 10th century

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Uyghurs

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early 9th century to present

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largest ethnic group in Xinjiang region

Related Topics:
Ethnic group - Xinjiang

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Tubo

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吐蕃(tu3 fan1) sometimes pronounced as 吐播 (tu3 bo1)

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Today Tibet, Qinghai, western border of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi and Southern border of Xinjiang

Related Topics:
Tibet - Qinghai - Sichuan - Gansu - Shaanxi - Xinjiang

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mid 6th century to present

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Tibetans

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early 6th century to present

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Tibetans

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Qidan

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契丹 (qi4 dan1)

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Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Liaoning, northern border of Shanxi and Hebei and later in Xinjiang and eastern border of Kazakhstan

Related Topics:
Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Manchuria - Liaoning - Shanxi - Hebei - Xinjiang - Kazakhstan

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late 5th century to mid 13th century

Related Topics:
5th century - 13th century

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Khitan

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early 6th century to present

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No known descendants

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Xi

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奚 (xi1)

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more or less the same residence of the Khitans since regarded as two ethnic groups with one unique ancestry

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mid 6th century to mid 12th century

Related Topics:
6th century - 12th century

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No known equivalence

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N/A

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No known descendants

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Shiwei

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室韋 (shi4 wei2)

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Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria and southern Siberia

Related Topics:
Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Manchuria - Siberia

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late 6th century - late 10th century

Related Topics:
6th century - 10th century

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No known equivalence

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N/A

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conquered by Khitans, splinter groups and remnants re-emerged as Mongols

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Menggu

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蒙古 (meng2 gu3)

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Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria, southern Siberia, eastern and central Xinjiang before Genghis Khan

Related Topics:
Mongolia - Inner Mongolia - Manchuria - Siberia - Xinjiang - Genghis Khan

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since late 8th century (?)

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Mongol

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late 12th century to present

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Mongol

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Dangxiang

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党項 (dang3 xiang4)

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Ningxia, Gansu, northern portions of Shanxi, southwestern portion of Mongolia, Southeastern portion of Xinjiang

Related Topics:
Ningxia - Gansu - Shanxi - Mongolia - Xinjiang

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mid 8th century to early 13th century

Related Topics:
8th century - 13th century

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Tanguts

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?

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No known descendants

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Mohe

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靺鞨 (mo4 he2)

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Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia, established Bohai

Related Topics:
Manchuria - Bohai

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early 7th century to early 10th century.

Related Topics:
7th century - 10th century

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Malgal

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N/A

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Jurchen (see entry below)

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Nüzhen or Manzhouren

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女真 (nü3 zhen1), 滿洲人 (man3 zhou1 ren2), 滿人 (man3 ren2)

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Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia

Related Topics:
Manchuria - Inner Mongolia

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early 10th century to present, established Jin Dynasty and Qing Dynasty

Related Topics:
10th century - Jin Dynasty - Qing Dynasty

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Jurchen, Mancho, Manchus or Manchurian

Related Topics:
Jurchen - Manchus

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Since mid 17th century, first encountered by Russians

Related Topics:
17th century - Russia

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largest ethnic group in Dongbei region or Manchuria. Their culture has very much assimilated with the Chinese but some distinctive aspects still remain.

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