manchu

Manchu refers to an East Asian ethnic group and to their language. The Manchu are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People’s Republic of China, primarily living in the Northeast, especially in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces. They trace their origins to the Jurchen peoples who inhabited Manchuria in what is now northeastern China. In the early 17th century, Nurhaci united the Jurchen tribes and established the Later Jin, which his successors renamed the Qing Dynasty. The Qing ruled a large multiethnic empire from 1644 to 1912 and were the imperial rulers of China until the dynasty’s fall.

The Manchu language is a member of the Tungusic language family. It historically used a script derived from the Mongolian alphabet, written vertically. Today most ethnic Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese as their daily language, and the Manchu language is endangered, with only a minority of native speakers and ongoing efforts to revive it.

Culturally, Manchu heritage includes distinctive customs, traditional dress, and ceremonial practices, many of which were integrated with wider imperial court culture during the Qing period. In the modern era, Manchu identity is primarily cultural and historical, rather than political, though some communities maintain associations and cultural institutions.

Population estimates vary; Manchus are concentrated in the Northeast, with diaspora communities abroad. The history of the Manchu is closely tied to the Qing Empire and its multiethnic makeup, as well as to modern efforts in heritage preservation and language revival.