Zhuang
The Han Chinese, (not the dynasty) who ruled from 206 BC to 220 AD, expanded into the Zhuang area of Guangxi in the year 221 BC under Emperor Qin Shi Huang during the Qin dynasty; Emperor Qin was the first to unify the country. He had unified what was before known as China; however, he wanted to amalgamate the territories and subsequently conquer the peoples, southward. Though he had conquered these peoples, he did not entirely take over their pre-existing political forms and social institutions. By nature, this left the Zhuang with some autonomy. He brought in some, if only for a short time, some of the features of the central governing system, and he also established three provinces. Emperor Qin oversaw the building of the Li canal at Xing-an, which linked the southern and central river systems.
The Qin dynasty did not last long after the death of Qin Shi Huang. The reason for this was that he made such drastic reforms in China that the rest of the country could not catch up with the ruler’s tight-fisted demands. Eventually the Han dynasty took over. During the period of upheaval in the Qin Dynasty, a Han Chinese, Zhao Tuo, declared himself “Martial King of the Southern Yue.” The region he controlled included the Zhuang areas. It was not until 111 BC that the area under his control was again conquered by the Han Dynasty.
The Zhuang, over the years, have been involved in battles with approaching foreigners. In the 1070s, they fought against a people known as the Annamese. Then, in the middle of the 16th century, they fought against Japanese pirates who invaded their shores. Later, in the 1800s, they formed the Black Banner Army along with the Han Chinese and defeated the intruding French near Hanoi in both 1873 and 1882. Again, in 1885, they fought against the French and won a victory that proved crucial at Zhennanguan, a pass on the Sino-Vietnamese border.
The Zhuang also joined in the revolutions that began at the beginning of the 20th century. First, they joined with Sun Yatsen in his revolutionary organization, Tong Meng Hui. Later, in 1925, a communist organization was established in the Zhuang area. Whether or not they participated in the revolution is not clear.
Tags: Zhuang
