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Manchu Nationality, the Ethnic Culture of Qing Dynasty

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Arising from the Jurchen tribes and establishing the Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234) and the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), the Manchu nationality has a profound history of nearly 1400 years, which have greatly influenced the Chinese history. Until 1911, the Man ethnic minority had the name of Baqi, synonymous with a distinctive fabric of the Man people.

 

 

The Man people are brave and athletic. They excel at riding and shooting, which women and children can do as well as men. In the Qing Dynasty, men plaited their hair on the left side and shaved off the hair around their foreheads. Women wore hair pins, earrings and a once piece dress, the Qipao.

 

The ancient Man people believed in Shamanism. Later, with the influence of Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism, their beliefs took on a pluralistic quality. It is not uncommon to see statues of Bodhisattva and other gods positioned in Man houses for blessing.

 

 

The contributions of the Man people to Chinese culture, literature, music and arts are considerable. Many emperors of Qing were themselves painters, calligraphers, poets and masters of other literary arts. The Man encouraged education and many sat for the imperial examinations required of those who would serve the emperor in the highly-sought-after positions of scholars, literati and high-ranking civil servants. Cao Xueqin, the creator of one of the four Chinese classics, Dream of Red Mansions, reflecting many facets of feudal society during the Qing Dynasty, was of Man ethnicity.

 

 

Traditional festivals of the Man are similar to those of the Han people. During the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival and on Mid-Autumn Festival, distinctive sports like skating are included in the festivities of the Man people.

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