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Xibe
(Sibe, Sibo, Xibo)
	"Sibo military colonists", picture drawn by Henry Lansdell during his visit to today's Qapqal Xibe County in 1882
Total population
	172,900
Regions with significant populations
	China (Xinjiang · Liaoning · Jilin)
Languages
	Xibe
Religion
	Buddhism, Polytheism and Shamanism
Related ethnic groups
	Manchu, Xianbei

The Xibe ( Sibe; simplified Chinese: 锡伯; traditional Chinese: 錫伯; pinyin: Xībó) are a Tungusic ethnic group living mostly in northeast China and Xinjiang. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China.

[edit] History

The Xibe originally lived on the Nonni and Songhua river valleys in central Manchuria. They are known as one of the nine states that were defeated by Nurhaci in the Battle of Gure in 1593. They were under loose domination of the Khorchin Mongols even after the Khorchin came under the control of the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

The Xibe started to make direct contact with the Qing Dynasty when it conducted military campaigns against Russia. They provided logistical support to the Qing. In 1692, the Khorchin dedicated the Xibe, the Gūwalca and the Daur to the Kangxi Emperor in exchange for silver. The Xibe was incorporated into the Eight Banners and were stationed in Qiqihar and other cities in Manchuria.

After conquering eastern Turkestan, the Qianlong Emperor garrisoned part of the Xibe there in 1764 to defend the new frontier. They formed a community in the Qapqal region south of the Ili River.

[edit] Culture

The traditional dress of the Xibe was similar to the traditional dress of the Manchus. Nowadays almost all the Xibe wear Western clothing and the traditional clothing is worn by elders during festivals.

Traditionally, the Xibe were divided into hala, clans consisting of people who shared the same surname. Until modern times, the dwellings of the Xibe housed up to three different generations from a same family, since it was believed that while the father was alive no son could break the family clan and to the house.

Their culture is also similar to Xianbei.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Language

Main article: Xibe language

The Xibe in northeast China speak Chinese as their first language. In Xinjiang, descendants of the Qing dynasty military garrison preserve their language, which is an innovative dialect of the Manchu. Unlike the Manchu language, the Xibe language is reported to have eight vowel distinctions as opposed to the six found in Manchu, differences in morphology, and a complex kind of vowel harmony. The general vocabulary and structure of Xibe has not been affected as much by the influence of Chinese as Manchu has been. However, there are a number of Chinese loanwords, and a large body of sociological terminology, such as gəming (revolution) and gungshə (commune), have been borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the everyday vocabulary of the language. They use the Xibe script, a slightly revised Manchu script.

The Xibe believe that they are descendants of the Xianbei.
Dr. Pamela Kyle Crossley, Professor of History at Dartmouth College, asserts that the Russians named Siberia after the Sibe/Xibe.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Famous Xibe

[edit] Politicians & military commander

Gao Jingxu (高景旭) - former vice minister of the Lanzhou Military Region.
He Zhiwu (何志武) - former commander of the North Sea Fleet base in Lüshun.
Na Qiming (那启明) - former Air Force deputy director of the Political Department.

[edit] Athletes

Liu Dadi (刘大地) - pilot driver
Guo Meizhen (郭梅珍) - archer
Ru Guang (汝光) - archer

[edit] Artists

Song Xue (宋雪) - mezzo-soprano and senior management of Chinese cultural and performing arts Co. Ltd
Chun Ying (春英) - dancer
Guan Bochun (关柏春) - artist

[edit] Writers and Poets

Chen Tiejun (陈铁军) - writer
He Jiucheng (何久成) - vice chairman of Qiqihar City Writers Association
Wu Yuanfeng (吴元丰) - famous for cataloging, translating and researches on the Manchu Qing Dynasty archives.

[edit] Media and entertainment industry

Guan Yunke (关蕴科) - director of operations of A1 Team China.
Li Li (李力) - former director of Shenyang Chemical Plant, Beijing Yanshan Petrochemical
Yao Miao (瑶淼) formely known as Guan Yaomiao (关垚淼) - a present is CCTV movie channel director

[edit] References

^ The Xibe ethnic minority

Wu Yuanfen, Zhao Zhiqiang. 1981. "Xibozu xiqian gaishu" [A general account of the westward migration of the Xibo]. Minzu yanjiu 2:22-29.
Ramsey, S. Robert. 1987. The Languages of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton New Jersey ISBN 0-691-06694-9
C. G. Mannerheimin Valokuvia Aasian-Matkalta 1906-1908 (Photographs By C. G. Mannerheim From His Journey Across Asia 1906-1908), (Otava, Keuruu: 1990) ISBN 9511113577. Contains photographs of Xibe/Xibo and other ethnic groups.

[edit] External links

[0] The Xibe ethnic minority

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