Unrecognized ethnic groups in China


Several ethnic groups of the People's Republic of China are not officially recognized. Taken together, these groups number more than 730,000 people; if considered as a single group, they would constitute the twentieth most populous ethnic group of China. Some scholars have estimated that there are over 200 distinct ethnic groups that inhabit China. There are in addition small distinct ethnic groups that have been classified as part of larger ethnic groups that are officially recognized. Some groups, like the Hui of Xinjiang with the Hui of Fujian, are geographically and culturally separate, except for the shared belief of Islam. Han Chinese, being the world's largest ethnic group, has a large diversity within it, such as in Gansu, whose Han individuals may have genetic traits from the assimilated Tangut civilization. Although they are indigenous to Hainan island and do not speak a Chinese language, the Limgao people near the capital are counted as Han Chinese.
Notable unrecognized ethnic groups include:
English Name
Mandarin Pinyin
Simplified Chinese
PopulationClassified in census as.....TerritoryDetails
OngkorWēng kuò rén:zh:翁阔人20EvenkiYining County, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, XinjiangIt is said that Ongkor is the smallest ethnic group in China. The 1993 survey showed that there were only 20 people.
AynuÀi nǔ rén:zh:艾努人10,000UyghurMoyu/Hetian/Luopu/Shache/Shule/Yingjisha Counties, Hotan Prefecture, XinjiangThey speak Aynu language. Their dominant religion is Islam.
KeriyaKè lǐ yǎ rén:zh:克里雅人1,300UyghurYutian/Minfeng County, Hotan Prefecture, XinjiangThe Keriya people are said to be descendants of the Tibet Aliguge dynasty. Another is said to be a desert indigenous people living here. The natural environment determines the life style of the Keriya people in the deep Taklimakan Desert. It still retains the simple and pure folk customs. Culture and a more primitive way of life. Most of them lived together for generations. The elderly at home are the most respected elders. The tribes rarely marry outsiders. They are called "the primitive tribes in the desert."
TomaoTuō mào rén:zh:托茂人500HuiYanqi Hui Autonomous County, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang and Zhidoi County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, QinghaiDistributed in Qinghai and Xinjiang, with its own unique customs, using Tomo language
GugeGǔ gé rén:zh:古格人5000Hui and Tibetan Hualong Hui Autonomous County, Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai, Deqen/Weixi Counties, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan and Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous RegionIt is distributed in Hualong Hui Autonomous County of Qinghai Province, Shangri-La, Deqin, Weixi County, and Lhasa City of Tibet Autonomous Region in the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. The Guge people are culturally coordinated and adapted to be compatible with and preserve multi-ethnic culture. Suddenly retain the characteristics of the Hui culture, forming a unique nation.
KangjiaKāng jiā rén:zh:康家人500-600HuiJainca County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, QinghaiThe Kangjia people s has its own language, Kangjia language. It belongs to the Mongolian language group of the Altaic language group. The lifestyle is mixed with the Hui and Tu nationalities. Therefore, the Kangjia peoples now consider themselves to be an independent nationalities, which is not the same as the surrounding people.
ManmiMàn mī rén:zh:曼咪人1000BlangJinghong County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, YunnanManmi people have their own language, Man Met which belongs to the Mon-Khmer language group, and the Manmi people's housing, costumes, religious beliefs, and festivals are similar to the Yi people, but the ethnic group is classified as the Blang ethnic group. Now, Manmi people hope to be counted as an independent nation.
KungeKūn gé rén:zh:昆格人1656 BlangJinghong County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, YunnanThe custom of the Kunge is different from that of the general Blang. The unique special day has the Dragon and the Dragon Festival. The Dragon Column is an iron festival. The time is in the solar calendar in February. During the festival, you must kill the cows, burn the bonfire, and worship the ancestors.
BajiaBā jiǎ rén:zh:八甲人1500Blang and YiYu'a/Yucha Township, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, YunnanDistributed in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Those who mixed with Blang are being classified as Blang peoples while those who unmixed are being classified as Yi peoples.
AkhaĀ kǎ rén:zh:阿卡人6000HaniJinghong/Jinghan/Qilong town, Bulangshan town and Qilun town, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, YunnanThe Akha claimed to be "over gram", and Akha was the name of the Yi people.
LaopinLǎo pǐn rén:zh:老品人233 May be classified as DaiMenghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, YunnanThe Lao Ping ethnics call themselves "old products", also known as "card products." Old people retain their own language, such as eating for "Tangza", housing for "crowding", and fluent slang. The old-fashioned housing is a Chinese-style bungalow. A unique original religion, with temples and godless statues, is held every year in the whole village.
LaomianLǎo miǎn rén:zh:老緬人233 LahuMenghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, YunnanThe Laomian has nothing to do with the Burmese. The Laomian people is a cross-border ethnic group distributed in the border areas of China, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. In China, Laojia Dazhai in Zhutang Township of Mula County and Miaohai Village in Menghai County of Mianhai County are the main settlements.
BisuBì sū rén:zh:毕苏人6000Some are classified as Lahu while those who live in Menghai County are counted as "undistinguished nationalities"Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan
MuxiMù lǎo rén:zh:木佬人30000YiMajiang/Kaili/Huangping, Duyun/Fuquan, Guizhou and Chun'an County, ZhejiangTheir language Muyu language belongs to the Kra language group, close to the proverb, but because he is close to Gelao they are being classified into the Yi.
CaizuCài zú rén:zh:菜族人170 HanUnknown
ChuanqingChuān qīng rén:zh:穿青人670000HanLiupanshui/Zhijin County, Bijie Prefecture, GuizhouThe Chuanqings, however, view themselves as a distinct people group. Most of them live in Anshun area of Guizhou province. Other locals call the Chuanqings "Da Jiao Ban" or "Da Xiuzi". Uniquely, they worship a god called Wuxian.
CaijiaCài jiā rén:zh:蔡家人40000Han or BaiGuizhouCaijia people's language is said to be relative of Bai language.
LongjiaLóng jiā rén:zh:龍家人>500000Han, Bai, and BouyeiAnshun Prefecture, GuizhouThey are not same with Bai of Yunnan.
MojiaMò jiā rén:zh:莫家人20000BouyeiLibo County, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, GuizhouThey speak Mak language
LemoLēi mò rén:zh:勒墨人7000Bai and LisuLushui County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, YunnanThey are results of intermarriage between Tai Mao and Lisu peoples.
DengChēng rén:zh:僜人2000May be classified as TibetanZayu County, Linzhi, Tibet Autonomous RegionThey speak various Mishmi languages.
YaYá rén:zh:崖人5000000ZhuangBaise, Guangxi
LiminLǐ mín rén:zh:里民人100000LiAnshun/Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, GuizhouThey are not descendants of Li people of Hainan. In fact, they are part of Chuanqing people.
BunuBù nǔ rén:zh:布努人400,000YaoGuangxi
MangMǎng rén:zh:莽人568BlangXishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan
PakanBù gēng rén:zh:布赓人2,000YiWennan, Xiqiao. Wenshan, Yunnan
TuvansTú wǎ rén:zh:图瓦人3,900MongoliansFar north of XinjiangOnly around 2,000 Tuvan speakers left.