47. Chinese Nationalities (Russian Minority) -- Minorities by Descending Populations

40. Russian Nationality

The Russians in China are the offspring of immigrants from Tsarist Russia. Many of their ancestors migrated to border cities in China's northwest at the end of the 19th century. Later during the 20th century, more people moved into this region, (today's Xinjiang Autonomous Region), especially after the October Revolution. Theses immigrants were called "guihua people" and their villages "guihua village". With the founding of the PRC in 1949, they were renamed Russian Ethnic Group.

The Russians use their own language and written script, which belongs to the Slavic group of the Indo-European language family, when they communicate with each other. They also use the Chinese language and script in their social or official activities. Most Russians belong to the Orthodox Eastern Church.

The Russians living in towns usually engage in handicrafts, transport, and other commercial occupations. Some take agriculture as sideline. Those who live in rural areas are most likely to support themselves by farming and animal husbandry. They are especially good at gardening and bee keeping.

A blue-eyed, long-bearded Russian of Indo-European stock, one of a small group of some 600 Russians living in Xinjiang Autonomous Region.