Cultural and Historical Basis:
In modern Chinese usage, minzu refers to an ethnonational or ethnic group recognized as having a distinct cultural identity:
language, customs, traditional dress, religion, and often historical territory.
After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the government conducted ethnic classification projects.
This process recognized 56 official minzu: the Han majority and 55 minority minzu
Each minzu is considered part of the broader “Chinese nation” (Zhonghua minzu), conceptualizing the country as a multiethnic state.
Key Characteristics of Minzu:
Defined primarily through cultural, linguistic, religious, and historical attributes rather than physical or biological traits.
The concept is closely tied to state policies, census classification, and the idea of a national family made up of multiple minzu.
Minzu categories emphasize shared history and cultural cohesion, often validated by anthropological and historical research rather than simply visual or phenotypic differences.
Minzu: Primarily defined by culture, language, religion, region, and shared historical narratives.
Race: Historically tied to visible, physical differences presumed to have biological significance.
Minzu and race are not exact equivalents. Minzu is closer to what many Westerners might term “ethnicity” or “ethnonational group” rather than “race.”
Although both terms group human populations, they emerge from distinct historical legacies and frameworks.