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A now dated source indicates that China consisted of 35 provinces, not counting Outer Mongolia and Tibet. Presumably the number of provinces in modern China may now be different. The term "China Proper" is generally applied to the 18 densely populated ethnic Han provinces which comprise southeastern China. This includes Taiwan which returned to Chinese control in 1945 after 50 years of Japanese occupation. Taiwan is currently governed by the democratically elected government that evolved from the Nationalist regime defeated by the Communists on the mainland in 1949. The term "Outer China" is applied to the outlying northern and western regions of China. These areas exceed the Area of China proper, but are sparsely populated--with only about 10 percent of China's total population. In addition, in many of the western provinces the ethnic Han population is a minority. These provinces include Jehol, Manchuria, Iner-Mongolia, Sinkiang, Chinhai, and Sikang. A great symbol of the Chinese cultural sphere was once the Great Wall which now is well within China's borders, extending 1,250 miles from the western Asuiatic deserts to the Pacific coast. China seized control of Tibet in 1956, but this is not reciognized by many other countries. The two last European enclaves (Hong Kong and Macao) returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Not only are there numerous regions within China, but the Chinese have emmigrated to countries all around the globe. There are important overseas Chinese ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) and North America, especially the United States, and many other countries. The overseas Chines developed in two major waves. The first was the Peranakan who began settling the Nusantara region (Malay-Indonedaianarea) (15-16th century. China at the time had extensive commercial relations in the area. It was the time of legendary Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho), a Muslim Chinese. A Chinese princes given as a token to the Sultan of Malacca was the legendary beginning of the Peranakan. The secon great wave was to America (19th century). The first Chinese to reach America in number came to Califirnia, at first drawn by the discovery of gold (1848). Small Chinese communities have since developed in large numbers of countries around the world.
A now dated source indicates that China consisted of 35 provinces, not counting Outer Mongolia and Tibet. Presumably the number of provinces in modern China may now be different. The term "China Proper" is generally applied to the 18 densely populated ethnic Han provinces which comprise southeastern China. This
includes Taiwan which returned to Chinese control in 1945 after 50 years of Japanese occupation. Taiwan is currently governed by the democratically elected government that evolved from the Nationalist regime defeated by the Communists on the mainland in 1949. The term "Outer China" is applied to the outlying northern and western regions of China. These areas exceed the Area of China proper, but are sparsely populated--with only about 10 percent of China's total population. In addition, in many of the western provinces the ethnic Han population is a minority. These provinces include Jehol, Manchuria, Iner-Mongolia, Sinkiang, Chinhai, and Sikang. A great symbol of the Chinese cultural sphere was once the Great Wall which now is well within China's borders, extending 1,250 miles from the western Asiatic deserts to the Pacific coast. China seized control of Tibet in 1956, but this is not recognized by many other countries. Hong Kong is a small colonian remnant, but is interesting because capitalism there was an early indication of what capitalism could do for China. The two last European enclaves (Hong Kong and Macao) returned to Chinese rule in 1997. And today Hong Kong has a degree of democracy the Communist mandrins in Bejing find very troubling.
Not only are there numerous regions within China, but the Chinese have emmigrated to countries all around the globe. There are important overseas Chinese ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) and North America, especially the United States, and many other countries. The overseas Chines developed in two major waves. The first was the Peranakan who began settling the Nusantara region (Malay-Indonedaianarea) (15-16th century. China at the time had extensive commercial relations in the area. It was the time of legendary Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho), a Muslim Chinese. A Chinese princes given as a token to the Sultan of Malacca was the legendary beginning of the Peranakan. The second great wave was to North America (19th century). The first Chinese to reach America in number came to Califirnia, at first drawn by the discovery of gold (1848). Small Chinese communities have since developed in large numbers of countries around the world.
There are important overseas Chinese ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) and North America, especially the United States, and many other countries. The overseas Chines developed in two major waves. The first was the Peranakan who began settling the Nusantara region (Malay-Indonedaianarea) (15-16th century). China at the time had extensive commercial relations in the area. It was the time of legendary Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho), a Muslim Chinese. A Chinese princes given as a token to the Sultan of Malacca was the legendary beginning of the Peranakan. The Peranakan over time lost contact with China and to a varying degree adopted local cultural patterns such as language and clothing, but generally married within their community and did not adopt Islam. The Peranakan came to a major part of the merchant and artisan class in the region. Relatiins with the wider Malay and Indonesian community varied. Durung tge colonial era they were generally protected by British and Dutch authorities. After independence they were more vulnerable to the Malay/Indonesian majorities. There were also Chinese communities in Indo-China, especially Cambodia. Chinese communities were also later inserted during the British imperail era in several areas as pliant work forces (19th century).
The second great wave of Chinese emigration was to North America (19th century). The first Chinese to reach the United States in number came to California, at first drawn by the discovery of gold (1848). The Gold Rush brought people from all over the world, the Chinese were just one of the foreign groups. Immigrants to America are often thought of as Europeans, but the Chinese played a mojor role in California. The Chinese story in American began with the California Gold Rush (1848-50). Their most famed contribution was helping to build the trans-coninental railroad. Some historians say the railroad could not have been built at the time without the Chinese. Most of the Chinese which came to America returned to China. There goal was not assimilation, but to earn money to support a decent life back in China. Virtuaqlly all immigrants faced difficulties adjusting to America, but racial prejudice made the Chinese experience in America especially difficult. That said, the Chinese peasantry was exploited under the the Impertial system and there were opporunities in nAmerica that did not exist in China.
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