An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of China

A glance at this book will at once show that the peoples of China are not the homogeneous mass which (non‐specialist) Western opinion imagines. It is stated that on the foundation of the People’s Republic, 400 ethnic groups applied for recognition as such, but the government (fearful of the political repercussions, especially in border areas) recognised only 55. However, all 400 are described here. Professor Olson remarks that it is by no means an easy matter to define what constitutes an ethnic group. The usual European definition of a separate language is not enough. In any case, as the dictionary...