Essay On Ethnicity In China

1054 Words3 Pages

People & Society
Ethnicity

Ethnic Map of China
Ethnic Map of China

56 different ethnic groups are officially recognized in China
91.51% of Chinese are Han Chinese.
There is one other ethnic group, Zhuang, which has a larger than 1% share of the population. Other ethnic groups are growing at a higher rate than the prominent Han Chinese. However, due to the massive dominance of the Han Chinese, China’s ethnic composition would not be dramatically altered.

Ethnicity does not pose problems in China, as the Chinese government has introduced a number of politics to ensure the equality and unity of ethnic groups, A policy of regional autonomy has been given to the ethnic minorities, decentralizing governance to outlying regions. With help from the Chinese government, the minorities are entitled to deal with their own matters. The government also promotes respect of the different faith and customs of the various ethnic groups, working towards a prosperous China and living in harmony.

Beliefs

China is officially an atheist country, a variety of religions and beliefs can be found. Confucianism and Taoism, plus Buddhism, constitute the so-called “three teachings”, philosophical frameworks which historically have had a significant role in shaping Chinese culture. The basics of this three beliefs are commonly incorporated into traditional folk religions. Chinese religions are family-oriented and practice of several beliefs at the same time is allowed.

ChinaReligion©

Migration

Migration in China is split up into two categories : Internal, and International.

Internal Migration

People would leave their rural hometowns to migrate to the urban capitals, in search of jobs. People living in rural areas might also have difficult living condi...

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In the rural areas, the children suffer from basic health problems and malnutrition. They suffer from diseases such as iron deficiency anemia and intestinal worms, due to the lack of nutrition from the food they eat and the poor hygiene conditions they live in.

Untreated water in rural areas also leads to health problems such as hepatitis A, rotavirus and enterovirus.

Mental health is also a growing issue in China, as failing to fulfill one’s duties within the family and society can lead to common symptoms of psychological distress. It is a huge concern as there are huge social and economic costs. Currently, there is inadequate care of the mentally ill, with incidents such as the escape of 42 psychiatric patients. Mental illness is also portrayed in a negative light by the Chinese domestic media, although they do not overly discriminate against the mentally ill.

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