List of past Chinese ethnic groups (original) (raw)
Pinyin Romanization
Names in Chinese characters and Pronunciation
Approximate residing areas according to Chinese texts
Time of appearance in Chinese history
Equivalence(s) in World history
Time of appearance outside China
Descendant(s)
苗 (miao2)
Various areas stretching from provinces (Hebei, Shanxi) north of Huang he to Yunnan province
As early as 25th century B.C to present
see Miao
Laotians, ethnic groups in China, America and Europe
Xiongnu, Xianyun
匈奴 (xiong1 nu2), 玁狁 (xian3 yun3)
Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang
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
late 4th century to mid 6th century in Europe
No known descendants
Wuhuan
烏桓 (wu1 huan2)
western portions of Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces) and Inner Mongolia
4th century B.C to late 3rd century, assimilated into Chinese
No known equivalence
N/A
No known descendants
鮮卑 (xian1 bei1)
Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces), Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. Moved into areas north of Huang he as they founded a dynasty there.
4th century B.C ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese
No known equivalence
N/A
No known descendants
羌 (qiang1)
Gansu, Qinghai, westren portion of Sichuan, eastern portion of Xinjiang and northeastern portion of Tibet
4th century B.C ? to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese
No known equivalence
N/A
as minorities in Sichuan
Di
氐 (di1)
Areas of neighboring borders of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Shaanxi
8th century B.C ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese
No known equivalence
N/A
as minorities in Sichuan
羯 (jie2)
Shanxi province
late 2nd century to mid 4th century, assimilated into Chinese
No known equivalence
N/A
No known descendants
Dingling, Gaoche, Shule
丁零 (ding1 ling2), 高車 (gao1 che1), 疏勒 (shu1 le4)
banks of Lake Baikal and on the borders of Today Mongolia and Russia then migrated to Shanxi province and Xinjiang region
1st century BC to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese
?
?
some descendants still living by the lake ?
Gaogouli
高勾驪 (gao1 gou1 li2)
central and southeastern Manchuria (Today Jilin and eastern portion of Liaoning province)
1st century BC to mid 7th century, dissipated
Goguryeo or Koguryo
1st century to mid 7th century in Korea
柔然 (rou2 ran2), 蠕蠕 (ru2 ru2), 茹茹 (ru2 ru2)
Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang
early 3rd century to early 6th century
late 6th century to early 9th century
descendants living in today Daghestan?
Tujue
突厥 (tu2 jue2)
Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, eastern portion of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
late 5th century to mid 10th century
mid 6th century to early 9th century
The western Turks migrated to modern-day Turkey while the eastern Turks assimiliated to the Uighurs in Xinjiang
Huihe
回紇 (hui2 he2)
Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia
early 7th century to mid 10th century
early 9th century to present
largest ethnic group in Xinjiang region
Tubo
吐蕃(tu3 fan1) sometimes pronounced as 吐播 (tu bo1)
Today Tibet, Qinghai, western border of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi and Southern border of Xinjiang
mid 6th century to present
early 6th century to present
Qidan
契丹 (qi4 dan1)
Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Liaoning, northern border of Shanxi and Hebei and later in Xinjiang and eastern border of Kazakhstan
late 5th century to mid 13th century
early 6th century to present
No known descendants
Xi
奚 (xi1)
more or less the same residence of the Khitans since regarded as two ethnic groups with one unique ancestry
mid 6th century to mid 12th century
No known equivalence
N/A
No known descendants
Shiwei
室韋 (shi4 wei2)
Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria and southern Siberia
late 6th century - late 10th century
No known equivalence
N/A
conquered by Khitans, splinter groups and remnants re-emerged as Mongols
Menggu
蒙古 (meng2 gu3)
Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria, southern Siberia, eastern and central Xinjiang before Genghis Khan
since late 8th century (?)
late 12th century to present
Dangxiang
黨項 (dang3 xiang4)
Ningxia, Gansu, northern portions of Shanxi, southwestern portion of Mongolia, Southeastern portion of Xinjiang
mid 8th century to early 13th century
?
No known descendants
Mohe
靺鞨 (mo4 he2)
Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia, established Bohai
early 7th century to early 10th century.
No known equivalence
N/A
Jurchen (see entry below)
N�zhen or Manzhouren
女真 (n�3 zhen1), 滿洲人 (man3 zhou1 ren2), 滿人 (man3 ren2)
Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia
early 10th century to present, established Jin Dynasty and Qing Dynasty
Jurchen, Mancho, Manchus or Manchurian
Since mid 17th century, first encountered by Russians
largest ethnic group in Dongbei region or Manchuria. Their culture has very much assimilated with the Chinese but some distinctive aspects still remain.