There are 56 national groups in China. Fifty-five of those groups are referred to as minority groups and comprise only 6% of the total population, which is still 78 million people. The largest national group is the Han clan, whose heritage dates back to the powerful Han dynasty. The Han have migrated from the east to all parts of China, carrying with them their distinctive culture and dialect.

China's vast countryside and varied landscape have influenced the unique cultures of minority groups, protecting customs and habits from being dominated by a universal culture. The differences among minority groups are often rooted in the relationship each has to the land on which they live. Many minority groups live in regions near China's borders, and though each community's different lifestyles are recognized, they are all a part of the People's Republic of China.

One minority group, the Bai, rely heavily on work in marble quarries, and more than a million live in regions in China's interior. The Uygurs, Kazaks, and Kirgiz live in northwest regions of China and struggle with the desert terrain and harsh temperature changes in order to farm and herd livestock. Uygurs build sun-baked clay houses with deep cellars that stay cool even in desert regions. The Mongols, another minority group, are nomadic people, who live in portable houses called yurts which are made of felt and wooden frames. Mongols, as with Kazaks and Kirgiz, are constantly moving their tents and livestock to water sources and better grazing land. The Tibetans live on a plateau north of the Himalayan Mountains near the border of China in an area with few resources. Most Tibetans have a difficult life, farming and livestock herding on challenging terrain.

Though China's diversity makes for a rich and colorful cultural fabric, there is much difficulty in protecting each culture's distinctive beliefs. Tibet has received international attention in its struggle to maintain its cultural heritage. Many Tibetans practice an ancient religion called Lama Buddhism, but Tibetans have fled as refugees to Tibet to worship freely.

Hua Mulan - Hua-flower, Mu-wood, Lan-orchid - a famous Chinese heroine. Some of her life story was written in the Northern Dynasties from 420-589 A.D. Mulan came from the central plains region of China. Some stories indicate she lived during the Sui Dynasty, and others indicate she lived during the Tang Dynasty. According to the story, Mulan's father received an order to fight in a war. While he had fought before, he was too old at the time he received the order. Similarly, her brother was too young. Mulan is reported to have studied martial arts, and subsequently to have won a sword fight against her father. Mulan disguised herself as a man and fought many battles alongside the male troops. Mulan was summoned to the court of the emperor who wished to appoint her to high office as a reward for her outstanding service. Mulan declined the award and accepted a fine horse instead. Varying stories report the discovery of her secret. One story suggests her secret was discovered only later when her comrades in arms went to visit her. Another reports that she fell in love with a soldier who discovered the truth about her gender.
www.asterius.com/china/

Confucius - lived about 500 years before Christ. He believed that moral, virtuous people make good rulers, and that virtue is one of the most important qualities a person can have. Confucius developed a code of behavior that emphasized these four constant virtues: compassion, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself," is a famous Confucian saying (Aria, Gon, p.11).

Mencius - disciple of Confucius. Mencius wrote down most of what is considered documented Confucianism.

Qin Shi Huangdi - the first emperor of China. He is credited with both initiating the building of the Great Wall and standardizing the written Chinese language. An ancient Chinese legend told that he built himself a spectacular tomb before his death. In 1975 this legend was found to be true. A man, who lived near the city of Xi'an, is said to have been digging near a well, when his shovel hit something, and he uncovered a warrior made of clay. After that discovery, thousands of clay soldiers and horses were discovered lined up side by side under the earth. It is assumed Qin Shi Huangdi put them there to guard his tomb.

Lao-zi - considered author of the book of Daoism (Dao de Jing). Daoism means "the way." Daoism later influenced the development of Cha'an (Zen) Buddhism.

Sun Yat-se - elected as first president of China after the nationalists forced the Qing emperor to give up the throne in 1912. He was a medical doctor. He founded the Kuomintang, the Chinese Nationalist Party. He was referred to as kuo-fu, or "father of the country" (Kalman, p.14).

Mao Tse Tung - founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and unified China. Specifically, he set up farming communes and sent all children to school. His goal was to see China become a strong, independent, modern industrial country. He was considered by many to be the wisest in China. While he was leader, very few people from other countries were permitted into the country (Kalman, p. 14).

Deng Xiaoping - became leader shortly after Mao Tse Tung's death in 1975. Deng's government encouraged people to earn extra money by selling crops grown on their private land. In addition, he opened China to people overseas (Kalman, p. 14).

Portraits were often commissioned by ancestor's descendants as a way to show respect. Scroll paintings were traditionally painted on silk with tempera. The finished painting was pasted onto a larger piece of silk, giving it a decorative border that looked much like a traditional frame. Portrait painters of the time used a style of painting that was very flat and helped to emphasize line and pattern.

Ancestor Portrait
19th century
Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911)
colors on paper
© Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
Gift of Brigadier General John S. Letcher.
photo: Katherine Wetzel.