Ethnic groups in Chinese history Ethnic groups in Chinese history Department of Transportation Category="Ancient peoples of China"Category="History of China"Any non clear-cut connection is denoted by a question mark (?) beside the equivalences. As many ethnic groups have appeared in history, this table is certainly not complete. The purpose of this page is to stimulate conversation and constructive arguments on connecting Eastern and Western knowledge of those ethnic groups.

Pinyin Romanization Names in Chinese characters and Pronunciation Approximate residence according to Chinese texts Time of appearance in the history of China Equivalence(s) in World history Time of appearance outside China Descendant(s)
Miao 苗 (miao2) Various areas stretching from provinces (Hebei, Shanxi) north of the Huang He to Yunnan province As early as 25th century B.C. to present Miao see Miao Laotians, ethnic groups in China, America and Europe
Xiongnu, Xianyun 匈奴 (xiong1 nu2), 玁狁 (xian3 yun3) Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang 6th century B.C. ? to late 1st century for Northern Xiongnu who migrated westward after that period. Southern Xiongnu remained active until mid 5th century then assimilated into Chinese Huns late 4th century to mid 6th century in Europe No known descendants
Yuezhi 月氏 (Yue4 Zhi1) Gansu, Xinjiang 6th century B.C. ? to 162 B.C., then driven out by Xiongnu. Kushans, Tocharians? mid 2nd century B.C. in Central Asia No known descendants
Wuhuan 烏桓 (wu1 huan2) western portions of Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces) and Inner Mongolia 4th century B.C. to late 3rd century, assimilated into Chinese No known equivalence N/A No known descendants
Xianbei 鮮卑 (xian1 bei1) Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces), Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. Moved into areas north of the Huang He as they founded a dynasty there. 4th century B.C. ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese No known equivalence, possibly prototurks Tuoba (Tabgač?) N/A No known descendants
Qiang 羌 (qiang1) Gansu, Qinghai, westren portion of Sichuan, eastern portion of Xinjiang and northeastern portion of Tibet 4th century B.C. ? to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese No known equivalence N/A as minorities in Sichuan
Di 氐 (di1) Areas of neighboring borders of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Shaanxi 8th century B.C. ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese No known equivalence N/A as minorities in Sichuan
Jie 羯 (jie2) Shanxi province late 2nd century to mid 4th century, assimilated into Chinese No known equivalence N/A No known descendants
Dingling, Gaoche, Shule 丁零 (ding1 ling2), 高車 (gao1 che1), 疏勒 (shu1 le4) banks of Lake Baikal and on the borders of Today Mongolia and Russia then migrated to Shanxi province and Xinjiang region 1st century BC to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese ? ? some descendants still living by the lake ?
Rouran, Ruru, 柔然 (rou2 ran2), 蠕蠕 (ru2 ru2), 茹茹 (ru2 ru2) Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang early 3rd century to early 6th century Avars? late 6th century to early 9th century descendants living in today Daghestan?
Tujue 突厥 (tu2 jue2) Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, eastern portion of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan late 5th century to mid 10th century Gokturks mid 6th century to early 9th century The western Turks migrated to modern-day Turkey while the eastern Turks assimiliated to the Uyghurs in Xinjiang
Huihe 回紇 (hui2 he2) Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia early 7th century to mid 10th century Uyghurs early 9th century to present largest ethnic group in Xinjiang region
Tubo 吐蕃(tu3 fan1) sometimes pronounced as 吐播 (tu3 bo1) Today Tibet, Qinghai, western border of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi and Southern border of Xinjiang mid 6th century to present Tibetans early 6th century to present Tibetans
Qidan 契丹 (qi4 dan1) Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Liaoning, northern border of Shanxi and Hebei and later in Xinjiang and eastern border of Kazakhstan late 5th century to mid 13th century Khitan early 6th century to present No known descendants
Xi 奚 (xi1) more or less the same residence of the Khitans since regarded as two ethnic groups with one unique ancestry mid 6th century to mid 12th century No known equivalence N/A No known descendants
Shiwei 室韋 (shi4 wei2) Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria and southern Siberia late 6th century - late 10th century No known equivalence N/A conquered by Khitans, splinter groups and remnants re-emerged as Mongols
Menggu 蒙古 (meng2 gu3) Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria, southern Siberia, eastern and central Xinjiang before Genghis Khan since late 8th century (?) Mongol late 12th century to present Mongol
Dangxiang 党項 (dang3 xiang4) Ningxia, Gansu, northern portions of Shanxi, southwestern portion of Mongolia, Southeastern portion of Xinjiang mid 8th century to early 13th century Tanguts ? No known descendants
Mohe 靺鞨 (mo4 he2) Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia, helped to establish Bohai early 7th century to early 10th century. Malgal N/A Jurchen (see entry below)
Nüzhen or Manzhouren 女真 (nü3 zhen1), 滿洲人 (man3 zhou1 ren2), 滿人 (man3 ren2) Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia early 10th century to present, established Jin Dynasty and Qing Dynasty Jurchen, Mancho, Manchus or Manchurian Since mid 17th century, first encountered by Russians largest ethnic group in Dongbei region or Manchuria. Their culture has very much assimilated with the Chinese but some distinctive aspects still remain.

Pinyin Romanization	Names in Chinese characters and Pronunciation	Approximate residence according to Chinese texts	Time of appearance in the history of China	Equivalence(s) in World history	Time of appearance outside China	Descendant(s)
Miao	苗 (miao2)	Various areas stretching from provinces (Hebei, Shanxi) north of the Huang He to Yunnan province	As early as 25th century B.C. to present	Miao	see Miao	Laotians, ethnic groups in China, America and Europe
Xiongnu, Xianyun	匈奴 (xiong1 nu2), 玁狁 (xian3 yun3)	Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang	6th century B.C. ? to late 1st century for Northern Xiongnu who migrated westward after that period. Southern Xiongnu remained active until mid 5th century then assimilated into Chinese	Huns	late 4th century to mid 6th century in Europe	No known descendants
Yuezhi	月氏 (Yue4 Zhi1)	Gansu, Xinjiang	6th century B.C. ? to 162 B.C., then driven out by Xiongnu.	Kushans, Tocharians?	mid 2nd century B.C. in Central Asia	No known descendants
Wuhuan	烏桓 (wu1 huan2)	western portions of Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces) and Inner Mongolia	4th century B.C. to late 3rd century, assimilated into Chinese	No known equivalence	N/A	No known descendants
Xianbei	鮮卑 (xian1 bei1)	Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning provinces), Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. Moved into areas north of the Huang He as they founded a dynasty there.	4th century B.C. ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese	No known equivalence, possibly prototurks Tuoba (Tabgač?)	N/A	No known descendants
Qiang	羌 (qiang1)	Gansu, Qinghai, westren portion of Sichuan, eastern portion of Xinjiang and northeastern portion of Tibet	4th century B.C. ? to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese	No known equivalence	N/A	as minorities in Sichuan
Di	氐 (di1)	Areas of neighboring borders of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Shaanxi	8th century B.C. ? to mid 6th century, assimilated into Chinese	No known equivalence	N/A	as minorities in Sichuan
Jie	羯 (jie2)	Shanxi province	late 2nd century to mid 4th century, assimilated into Chinese	No known equivalence	N/A	No known descendants
Dingling, Gaoche, Shule	丁零 (ding1 ling2), 高車 (gao1 che1), 疏勒 (shu1 le4)	banks of Lake Baikal and on the borders of Today Mongolia and Russia then migrated to Shanxi province and Xinjiang region	1st century BC to late 5th century, assimilated into Chinese	?	?	some descendants still living by the lake ?
Rouran, Ruru,	柔然 (rou2 ran2), 蠕蠕 (ru2 ru2), 茹茹 (ru2 ru2)	Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and eastern portion of Xinjiang	early 3rd century to early 6th century	Avars?	late 6th century to early 9th century	descendants living in today Daghestan?
Tujue	突厥 (tu2 jue2)	Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, eastern portion of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan	late 5th century to mid 10th century	Gokturks	mid 6th century to early 9th century	The western Turks migrated to modern-day Turkey while the eastern Turks assimiliated to the Uyghurs in Xinjiang
Huihe	回紇 (hui2 he2)	Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, northern portions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia	early 7th century to mid 10th century	Uyghurs	early 9th century to present	largest ethnic group in Xinjiang region
Tubo	吐蕃(tu3 fan1) sometimes pronounced as 吐播 (tu3 bo1)	Today Tibet, Qinghai, western border of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi and Southern border of Xinjiang	mid 6th century to present	Tibetans	early 6th century to present	Tibetans
Qidan	契丹 (qi4 dan1)	Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Liaoning, northern border of Shanxi and Hebei and later in Xinjiang and eastern border of Kazakhstan	late 5th century to mid 13th century	Khitan	early 6th century to present	No known descendants
Xi	奚 (xi1)	more or less the same residence of the Khitans since regarded as two ethnic groups with one unique ancestry	mid 6th century to mid 12th century	No known equivalence	N/A	No known descendants
Shiwei	室韋 (shi4 wei2)	Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria and southern Siberia	late 6th century - late 10th century	No known equivalence	N/A	conquered by Khitans, splinter groups and remnants re-emerged as Mongols
Menggu	蒙古 (meng2 gu3)	Today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, western Manchuria, southern Siberia, eastern and central Xinjiang before Genghis Khan	since late 8th century (?)	Mongol	late 12th century to present	Mongol
Dangxiang	党項 (dang3 xiang4)	Ningxia, Gansu, northern portions of Shanxi, southwestern portion of Mongolia, Southeastern portion of Xinjiang	mid 8th century to early 13th century	Tanguts	?	No known descendants
Mohe	靺鞨 (mo4 he2)	Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia, helped to establish Bohai	early 7th century to early 10th century.	Malgal	N/A	Jurchen (see entry below)
Nüzhen or Manzhouren	女真 (nü3 zhen1), 滿洲人 (man3 zhou1 ren2), 滿人 (man3 ren2)	Manchuria and northern portion of Inner Mongolia	early 10th century to present, established Jin Dynasty and Qing Dynasty	Jurchen, Mancho, Manchus or Manchurian	Since mid 17th century, first encountered by Russians	largest ethnic group in Dongbei region or Manchuria. Their culture has very much assimilated with the Chinese but some distinctive aspects still remain.

See also