Hakka Ethnic Group And The Economic Development Of Guangxi From Qing Dynasty To The Republic Of China Period

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is the third biggest inhabit district of Hakkas in China. The Hakkas'population is about 5.6 million, covering one in tenth of the whole population of Guangxi. Most of the ancestors of Hakkas in Guangxi moved from Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi Province. From Song and Yuan Dynasties to Ming and Qing Dynasties, a great number of Hakkas moved to Guangxi, mainly lived in the southeast of this region , and spread in most part of it. Since Qing Dynasty, Guangxi had become one of the fast-developing border areas, partly because of the encouragement of the government's policies, but mostly because of the settling of the immigrants including the Hakkas.This thesis takes the relationship between Hakka ethnic group and the economic development of Guangxi as the research object. On the basis of digging out various kinds of material and rich field investigation, the author uses the theory of ethnic economy, the relative research methods and ways of history, anthropology, ethnology and regional economics, and tries to analyze and research the relationship between the Hakka ethnic group and the economic development of Guangxi from Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China Period. In addition, the author reveals some special rules during the economic development of Guangxi, in the hope of giving some suggestions to the contemporary economic construction of the region.The thesis is divided into five parts.The first chapter is introduction. Nowadays, Hakka study has become a hot topic. Because of this, the research on the relationship between Hakka ethnic group and economic development of Guangxi does not only promote the development of Hakka study in Guangxi, but also makes up the weakness of Hakka study—economy study. It can also be used as a reference for the development of Guangxi's economy.The second chapter is about the forming and developing of the Hakka ethnic group. The earliest period of Hakkas'moving to Guangxi could date back to Song Dynasty. Then, there was a climax in Ming and Qing Dynasties. To the end of Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China Period, a huge Hakka ethnic group had been formed. Compared to other groups of Han nationality, it not only has the characteristics of economic immigrants, but also appears that Hakkas lived with 11 minorities in Guangxi, which was good for the economic and cultural communication within nations, even the national and economic integration of Guangxi.The third chapter is Hakka ethnic group and the economic development of Guangxi. The two features of the middle and late periods of Qing Dynasty are that on the one hand, Hakkas valued agriculture; on the other hand, Hakkas focused on mining. At the same time, they did a lot to utilize and spread the sugar-pressing technique, the staining technique, and the papermaking technique. Along with the development of agriculture and handicraft industry, the commodity economy of Guangxi had been more and more prosperous. Some Hakkas began to do some business. In this way, with the combination of agriculture, industry, and commerce, and fully using its own advantages, Hakka ethnic group made great contribution to the economic development of this region.The fourth chapter is the relationship between Hakka ethnic group and the national economic integration of Guangxi. While Hakkas developed economy, they got along with other nations well to strengthen the integration of substance, technology, system and ideas so that the national economy had been integrated. The fifth chapter does with the Hakka ethnic group and the historical evaluation of economic development of Guangxi. During the economic development, the Hakkas not only brought the advanced production factors, but also promoted to transfer the economic center to the south of the region, which optimized the regional economic structure. Meanwhile, the friendly communication among the Hakkas and people in other nations and groups pushed a prosperous development of national relationship, which established a harmonious basis of nations in Guangxi, and did well to the economic development.The sixth chapter is about Hakka ethnic group and the realistic thinking of contemporary economic development of Guangxi. Hakka ethnic group is a significant group developing the economy. Thereby, the excellent cultural traditions of Hakkas have to be inherited and carried forward; the Hakkas'spirit has to be valued; the Hakkas'cultural resources should be protected and developed; the Hakkas'culture should be put into industrialization; finally, it is important to cooperate with countries of ASEAN. Only with these ways can we highly promote the construction of Beibu Gulf economic zone of Guangxi.