Ethnic Composition And Ethnic Group Identity

The existence and continuation of a minority depends on its people’s approval ontheir ethnic identity and its differences from the other minorities, so does Tujia. Onthe basis of some literature data and on-site research, this thesis briefly introducesTujia people’s ethnic group identity verification and their approval on their ethnicculture in Changyang. Changyang is the birthplace of Qingjiang. Town Gao and TownZi, as settlements of Han immigrants and governed by Tusi in history, both Han andTujia people show their strong approval on their own ethnic group identityrespectively and distinguish “My people” and “The others” clearly. Primordialattachment plays an important role in their ethic identity. However, Han people ofTown Gao deviate from their ethnic group identity when they choose theirdocumentary ethnicity. Han people of Town He change their written ethnicity to Tujia,too. The policies for minority people such as cadre promotion, awarded scores incollege entrance examination, financial support explain their choices. They take theminority identity as a tool to get more benefits. Local government, in order toestablish.minority autonomous county and bring more personal benefit to local residents,lower the standard on ethnic group identity examination.Chinese hans with Tujia components don’t weaken their ethnic groupconsciousness, instead the real ethnic consciousnesses have strengthened.The essay is just to investigate empirically Changyang Tujia Autonomous County,the birthplace of the Tujia Nationality in the Qingjiang Valley, which is a really typicalplace in order to reveal the relationship between the ethnic group composition and theethnic group identity in this area, and at the same time reveal the reason which deviatefrom each other. Meanwhile it will give responce to the ethnic theory related and laythe foundation of the decisions made by the government.