Han chauvinism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.

Han chauvinism (Simplified Chinese: 大汉族主义, 汉沙文主义; Traditional Chinese: 大漢族主義, 漢沙文主義) or Hanism (Simplified Chinese: 汉本位; Traditional Chinese: 漢本位) is a term which is used in mainland China, Taiwan, and Japan, referring to people carrying ethnocentric viewpoints that favor the Han Chinese majority ethnic group in China at the expense of the other minority ethnic groups, often under the assumption of cultural or racial superiority. Han chauvinists in the People's Republic of China often invent enemies of Manchus, Mongols and members of the Han nationality that oppose a monolithic view of the nationality. Han chauvinism is also sometimes manifest as nostalgia in the expansionist exploits by past Chinese dynasties, especially those identified with the Han nationality, but in some contexts also including the Qing Dynasty, a Manchu dynasty. Actions and speech that constitute the ethnocentric and ideological aspects of Han chauvinism (such as hate speech against minorities) are illegal in the People's Republic of China and are either banned or censored.

The term, however, has been carelessly and often maliciously mislabeled onto the general Han Chinese population and on Han Chinese who show any interest or hobby toward Han Chinese culture and cultural activities (such as Han Chinese clothing and music). When used loosely and without a specific target, for example in the clause "The Han chauvinism amongst Chinese...", it implicates the general population of being racist. This consequently has made the term highly pejorative unless used specifically under the charges of racism and expansionism.

Those espousing chauvinistic attitudes often revive ancient pejorative and anachronistic terms to refer to other ethnic groups as "barbarians". In ancient times, the following terms were used by various peoples of the Zhongyuan (North China Plain) to refer to those peoples not under the political control or cultural influence of the main Chinese dynasty; however, many of these "barbarians" make up the bulk of today's Han Chinese ethnicity^{[citation needed]} (hence the below terms as used historically were geographic and cultural labels, rather than racial in the modern sense). The terms below, however, were also used by the Japanese to various extents, hence diluting the claim of their links specifically to Han chauvinism.

• "Nanman" (Traditional Chinese: 南蠻; Simplified Chinese: 南蛮) – literally barbarians of the South - typically referring to southern ethnic groups in present-day South China, Southwestern China and Indo-China. Most of what were considered Nanman then are now Han Chinese (for example, the inhabitants of the province of Nanyue were originally labeled as Nanman, and today represent the Cantonese and various other subgroups of Han Chinese). This term was used by the Japanese to refer to European traders in Japan.
• "Xirong" (西戎) – originally an ancient ethnic group (Rong), this term was later used to refer to all non-Han ethnic groups in today's Northwestern China, who were mostly nomadic horsemen,
• "Beidi" (北狄) – originally an ancient ethnic group (Di), this term was later used to refer to all non-Han ethnic groups in today's Northern China, Mongolia, and Siberia, especially those who lived beyond the Great Wall.
• "Dongyi" (Traditional Chinese: 東夷; Simplified Chinese: 东夷) – literally barbarians (or archers) of the East, referring to ancient ethnic groups who lived in today's eastern China along the coast, including groups which have now been assimilated into the Han nationality.

In Taiwan, Han chauvinism is also used to accuse a preference for the culture and languages of Mainland Chinese over the local cultures of Taiwan, both Han Chinese and non-Han. It is most often used by pro-independence groups to attack pro-reunification groups and the Nationalists (KMT) who came from the mainland after their defeat to Communist Party of China in 1949.

In the People's Republic of China, the term Han chauvinism is also used by some members of ethnic minority groups as justification for separatist movements.

[edit] See also

• anti-Manchurism
• anti-Altaicism
• Chinese nationalism
• Hui pan-nationalism
• Xungen movement
• Sinocentrism

[edit] References

• ↑  Taro Yayama, "Japan Should Not Participate in China's 'East Asian Community' Conspiracy – Japan Should Learn From European Union Development Environment." Sankei Shimbun, December 24, 2005
• CHOW, KAI-WING: Narrating Nation, Race and National Culture: Imagining the Hanzu Identity in Modern China, in: CHOW KAI-WING, DOAK, KEVIN M. und POSHEK FU (Hg.): Constructing nationhood in modern East Asia (2001). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, S. 47-84.
• DIKÖTTER, FRANK: The Discourse of Race in Modern China (1992). London: Hurst & Company.
• DIKÖTTER, FRANK (ed.): The Construction of Racial Identities in China and Japan (1997). London: Hurst & Company.
• DIKÖTTER, FRANK: Race in China, in: PAL NYIRI and JOANA BREIDENBACH (ed.): China inside out: Contemporary Chinese nationalism and transnationalism (2005). Budapest: Central European University Press, pp. 177-204.
• DIKÖTTER, FRANK: Racial Identities in China: Context and Meaning, in: The China Quarterly, 1994, No. 138, pp. 404-412.
• ELLIOT, MARK C.: The Manchu Way – The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China (2001). Stanford/California: Stanford University Press.
• LAITINEN, KAUKO: Chinese Nationalism in the late Qing Dynasty – Zhang Binglin as an Anti-Mandchu Propagandist (1990). London: Curzon Press.
• RHOADS, EDWARD J.M.: Manchus & Han – Ethnic Relations and Political Power in Late Qing and Early Republican China, 1861-1928 (2000). Seattle und London: University of Washington Press.
• SAUTMAN, BARRY: Peking Man and the Politics of Paleoanthropological Nationalism in China, in: The Journal of Asian Studies, No. 1, 2001.
• SHIMADA KENJI: Pioneer of the Chinese revolution: Zhang Binglin and Confucianism (translated by Joshua A. Fogel) (1990). Stanford/California: Stanford University Press.
• TRAUZETTEL, ROLF: Ethnozentrismus und das Verhalten zu Minderheiten und Fremden am Beispiel Chinas, in: MENSEN, BERNHARD SVD (Hg.): Fremdheit – Abgrenzung und Offenheit (Vortragsreihe 1982/83). St. Augustin: Akademie Völker und Kulturen.
• TSOU JUNG: The Revolutionary Army – a Chinese Nationalist Tract of 1903 (übersetzt und annotiert von JOHN LUST) (1968). The Hague/Paris: Mouton & Co.
• WONG, YOUNG-TSU: Search for Modern Nationalism – Zhang Binglin and Revolutionary China 1869-1936 (1989). Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.
• ZARROW, PETER (b): Historical Trauma: Anti-Manchuism and Memories of Atrocity in Late Qing China, in: History & Memory, Jahrgang 16, No. 2, 2004, pp. 67-107.