Re: HGN: Hakka Origin

[sllee <sllee@mail.asiawind.com>]

I have edited the "Origin" page and quoted the Japanese research part. 
However, I could not find the original paper.  If any netter has the 
paper, I would gladly study it in detail and provide a report on it.

Border conflict continues till today between China/India, China/Russia, 
Japan/Korea, Russia/Japan, China/Japan.  There may never be an end to it.
And I don't think there will be an "objective" way to resolve these 
problems. However, the disputed areas are usually a small portion. It is 
much less than classifying 7% of Chinese (Hakka) as non-Chinese or 
non-Han! The key of dispute are the word "China" and "Chinese". I have 
been discussing based on the following concepts of my own:

1. Geographically, China includes the territory claimed by the current 
government of the People's Republic of China on mainland and the 
government of Republic of China on Taiwan.

2. Historically, China covers all the human activities occurring in the
territory at least as defined in 1. The territory however may vary during 
different historical periods.

3. Culturally China includes all the 56 ethnic groups residing within and
outside China (as defined in 1).

4. Chinese are people who identify with the history, geography, culture,
heritage as their origin. Place of birth, passport status, language,
residence, are not necessary qualifiers. 

5. As the words "China" and "Chinese" are commonly used in other parts of the
world with reference to history, geography and culture of the entity defined
in 1, 2 and 3, it would be unnecessary and inappropriate to deliberately
replace "China" with "Han" or "Tang" or other terms just to avoid any 
political implications, customary usage excluded.

6. While recognizing Han as the majority, all ethnic groups are equal in
their rights to claim as part of the Chinese history and culture. Hakka,
being a group preserving the ancient Han culture is an important element of
the Chinese culture. While studying Hakka culture is the theme of this forum,
the same right for all other ethnic groups and any of their variations are
respected.  Hakka is part of Han but not the whole of Han. Hakka study is a
root-finding, self-awareness process that should bear nothing of chauvinistic
nature. Cultural diversity is as important as natural diversity for the
benefit of all inhabitants on earth. 

Such are my beliefs.

SL Lee  
September 21, 1996