As the Red River valley is low-lying and tropical, paddy rice yields two harvests annually. Silk, hemp, bamboo shoots and bananas complement the local economy, and coffee and cocoa have also been planted there recently.      Population: 2.54 million Continue Reading

   From the mid-1850s, the British colonialists who had conquered Myanmur pushed up the Nujiang River valley. They were followed by American, French and German adventurers. This caused friction with the Nu and other minority peoples in the area, such Continue Reading

   The Dong chief was responsible for collecting taxes and law and order. The Dongs were mostly inhabited by families sharing the same surname. Later, when they increased in size, the Dongs were divided into “Fangs.”    Population: 160,600 Major area Continue Reading

   Jino land is crisscrossed by numerous rivers and streams, the longest being the Pani and the Small Black rivers. The major crops are upland and wet rice and corn. The famous Pu’er tea grows on Mount Jino. Jinoluoke also Continue Reading

   In winter they travel by sled and hunt on skis. They are also skilled at carpentry, tanning and iron smelting; but these are still cottage industries.    Population: 4,300 Major areas of distribution: Heilongjiang Language: Hezhe and Han Religion: originally Shamanism The Hezhes Continue Reading

   During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the Dai area was subordinate to Yunnan Province and the system of appointing hereditary headmen from among the ethnic minorities was instituted; this system was consolidated during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).    Population: 1.02 million Continue Reading

   A sideline occupation for which Bonans are particularly noted is the making of knives. A cottage industry, the Bonan knives are famous all over China for their beauty and sturdiness. slam    Population: 11,700 Major area of distribution: Gansu Language: Bonan Religion: IThe Continue Reading

   The Koreans have their own spoken and written language, which is thought to belong to the Altaic family. Their alphabet is a simple, ingenious one, and the Koreans are very proud of it.    Population: 1,923,400 Major areas of distribution: Jilin, Continue Reading

   Xinjiang’s climate is dry and warm in the south, and cold in the north with plenty rainfall and snow. The Uygurs farm areas around the Tarim Basin and the Gobi Desert. Wheat, maize and paddy rice are the region’s Continue Reading

   Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People’s Republic of China (mainland China), 98% of the population of the Republic of China (Taiwan), 74% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the entire global Continue Reading