
| -PEOPLE- |
Section 3
Customs
Every ethnic group in China has their own way
of celebration, living, hunting, gathering, eating, drinking and even of
dying. The idea of religion in China has been oppressed since 1949, but
many of the worlds religions are still observed and practiced, sometimes in
complete secrecy. There are, for example, more Jewish people living in
China than in all of Israel; more Muslims than in all of the Middle- East and
more Catholics than in all of eastern Europe. This is just one example
of the vast diversity of people living in China. Unlike the Middle-
East, though, the Jewish and the Muslims are not at war, nor are the Catholics
and the Protestants.
Within each ethnic group, there can be dozens of religions practiced, even
though there may only be a few thousand in that one group.
The divisions between each ethnic group are few, if any, and mostly due to
land dispute. A large portion of China's population seem to coexist very
well without racism, bigotry, sexism, ageism. Much of what the West
makes of these types of divisions unto themselves stems from the 'look' of a
particular ethnic group. Black, Caucasian, Asian and Jewish are the
terms for the majority of minorities in Western society, and thus either the
presenter or receiver of racial intimidation. In China, however, this is
not the case. The 'look' of different ethnic groups are defined by
clothing, for the most part. Racism can take the form of Manchu versus
Han. This is an old dispute dating back to the 17th century when the
former conquered the latter to establish the Qing dynasty.
A Han cannot very easily distinguish a Manchu from another Han. This is
the main reason why the ethnic populations around the area can coexist in a
relatively peaceful state.


