中国の少数民族について

三つの事例

抄録

In China there live some 35, 000, 000 (or 35 million) minor race people. They occupy only 60.6% of the total Chinese population. Yet the total area they occupy is 50% of the land, frontier regeons being included.
In the past these minor races were incessantly oppressed by the Chinese (Hans) that have absolute majority in population and predominating economical power. And there were some minor races in the North-Western area that turned their back to China Proper. The minor races that inhabited the South-Eastern mountain range were separted into small groups, driven into the mountains by the Hans that (historically) toward the South, and led a primitive life isolated from the outer world. One can sea Shin-chang as an example of such region. This area was once a Chinese domain. Howevr, it was independent from China except at the times of strong dynasties.
At the close of the 19th century when Ching Dynasty grew weaker, they were exposed to Russian influence on the north and British (influence) on the south. And until People's Republic of China was formed, they had been only a nominal domain of China; They independently formed diplomatic and economic connections with Russia, and it was much easier for them to go to Russia than to China Proper. However, there have occurred great changes during recent 10 years. Not only roads but also railways are under construction that connect them with China in many ways. It is somewhat similar to the relation between the Soviet Middle Asia and Russia.
Roads and railways are being steadily built in the southeastern mountainous region. As various resources deposited here are developed, the policy is taken to make better the living standard of the races living here. China gives letters to the races that have no letters and propagates the songs that praise Peking by means of their traditional folk songs and folk dances. It is somewhat similar to the relation between the Soviet Polar Regins and Russia.
Besides these, Mohammedans are regarded as one nation. This is because, although they speak Chinese, their manners and customes that their religion produced build up a unique social system. The Chinese esteem such uniqueness and activate their traditional activities, while they made an autonomous region on the northwest and are trying to move the Mohammedans living in big cities to this region in order to develop this underdeveloped region. Isn't this similar to Jews' Autonomous Region in the Soviet Union?
Now the Chinese do not compulsorily adapt minor races to their way of life, which they used to do in the past. At present they esteem their autonomy. The Chinese need their cooperation in order to make the Chinese domain a strongly unified body, to make the border lines clear that used to be obscure, and to develop the People's Republic of China.
Gradwally the social orders of People's China will covre the whole domain.