Manchu

Manchu, a main branch of the Tungus division of the Mongolo-Tatar race, whose proper name is ffiucki; the term Manchu was till the 17th century restricted to a single tribe in the White Mountains, but was extended to the whole of the region north of China, now known as Manchuria, after its reduction by Taitsu, founder of the present Manchu dynasty in China (1643-44). But since the conquest the great bulk of the inhabitants of Manchuria have become Chinese, and of the primitive Manchu stock probably not more than half a million survive anywhere. The Abbe Hue went so far as to say that "at present the Manchu nationality is annihilated; one may search in vain in Manchuria for a single town or village which is not exclusively Chinese. All local colouring has been completely effaced, and, with the exception of a few nomad groups, nobody any longer speaks Manchu." In the primary schools Chinese alone is taught, and the national language would have already disappeared but for the fact that it is specially studied in China itself in consequence of the Manchu origin of the reigning family. It has thus become one of the classical languages, which competitors for the higher Government offices are obliged to learn, and which is indispensable to all students of recent Chinese history. Manchu is a Tungus dialect noted for the regularity of its grammatical structure, and, like Mongolian, written in vertical columns from left to right in a peculiar script based on the Syriac, which was introduced into Mongolia in the 13th century. Apart from the arrogant mandarins of Manchu stock, the race itself is distinguished by its courtesy and friendliness toyvards strangers. As amongst the Koreans, there appears to be a strain of Caucasic blood, shown by the frequent occurrence of grey or blue eyes, brown hair, and florid complexion.