29. Chinese Nationalities (Manchu Minority) -- Minorities by Alphabetic Sequence

Manchu Nationality

Manchu history can be traced back to the Sushen people who lived 2000 years ago. They were the earliest ancestors of the Manchu. In the Liao, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, they were called "Nuchen". At the end of the 16th century, with the appearance of Nurhachi, the tribes of Nuchen were unified and a new nationality - Manchu - came into being, consisting of Nuchens, Hans, Mongolians and Koreans. With the founding of the Qing Dynasty in 1644, the Manchu reached its golden age. The Manchu, once herders and hunters, conquered China in the 17th century.

They were gradually assimilated and are found in all trades across the northeast, with little remaining of their ancient customs or language. The Manchu are found in Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei Provinces, Beijing Municipality, and the Nei Mongol Autonomous Region. Very few now speak the Manchu language. The Manchu formerly practiced shamanism and ancestor worship. Territorially they are the least concentrated of all the minorities in China. They are part of the Altaic Tungus-Manchu ethno linguistic group.