Kazakhs in China

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Kazakhs (哈萨克族 in Chinese, pinyin: Hāsàkè Zú) are a Turkic ethnic group and are among 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China.

During the fall of the Dzungar Khanate, the Manchus massacred the native Dzungar Oirat Mongols of Dzungaria in the Dzungar genocide and filled in the depopulated area with immigrants from many parts of their empire. Kazakhs from the Kazakh Khanates were among the peoples who moved into the depopulated Dzungaria. Dzungaria was subjected to mass Kazakh settlement after the defeat of the Dzungars.^[1] In the 19th century, the advance of the Russian Empire troops pushed Kazakhs to neighboring countries. In China there is one Kazakh autonomous prefecture, the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, three Kazakh autonomous counties, Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County in Gansu, Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County and Mori Kazakh Autonomous County in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Russians originally referred to Kazakhs as Kirghiz.

In the 19th century, Russian settlers on traditional Kirghiz land drove many Kirghiz over the border to China, causing their population to increase in China.^[2] Compared to Russian-controlled areas, more benefits were given to the Kirghiz on the Chinese controlled areas. Russian settlers fought against the nomadic Kirghiz, which led the Russians to believe that the Kirghiz would be a liability in any conflict against China. The Muslim Kirghiz were certain that in an upcoming war China would defeat Russia.^[3]

To escape Russians slaughtering them in 1916, Kazakhs escaped to China.^[4] Xinjiang became a sanctuary for fleeing Kazakhs escaping the Russians after the Muslims faced conscription by the Russian government.^[5]

Soviet persecution of Kazakhs led to Kazakhs from Soviet Kazakhstan moving to Xinjiang.^[6]

An estimate of 65,000 Kirghiz, 92,000 Hui, 326,000 Kazakh, 187,000 Han and 2,984,000 Uyghur adding up to a total population of 3,730,000 in all of Xinjiang in 1941 was estimated by Toops and 4,334,000 people lived in Xinjiang according to Hoppe in 1949.^[7]

The Kazakhs had settled in the Dzungaria area of Xinjiang after the Dzungar genocide by the Manchus wiped out most of the native Dzungar Oirats and fleeing from Soviet engineered famines against the Kazakhs like the Kazakh famine of 1919–1922 and Kazakhstan famine of 1932–1933. The Kazakhs had defected to the Republic of China and fought against the Soviet Communist backed Uyghur Second East Turkestan Republic in the Ili Rebellion.

Kazakh exodus[]

In 1936, after Sheng Shicai expelled 30,000 Kazakhs from Xinjiang to Qinghai, Hui led by General Ma Bufang massacred their fellow Muslim Kazakhs, until there were 135 of them left.^[8][9][10]

From Northern Xinjiang over 7,000 Kazakhs fled to the Tibetan–Qinghai plateau region via Gansu and were wreaking massive havoc so Ma Bufang solved the problem by relegating the Kazakhs into designated pastureland in Qinghai, but Hui, Tibetans and Kazakhs in the region continued to clash against each other.^[11]

Tibetans attacked and fought against the Kazakhs as they entered Tibet via Gansu and Qinghai.

In Northern Tibet, Kazakhs clashed with Tibetan soldiers and then the Kazakhs were sent to Ladakh.^[12]

Tibetan troops robbed and killed Kazakhs 400 miles east of Lhasa at Chamdo when the Kazakhs were entering Tibet.^[13][14]

In 1934, 1935, 1936–1938 from Qumil Eliqsan led the Kerey Kazakhs to migrate to Gansu and the amount was estimated at 18,000 and they entered Gansu and Qinghai.^[15]

Distribution[]

By province[]

By county[]

County-level distribution of the Kazakh

(Only includes counties or county-equivalents containing >1% of county population. 2000)

Culture[]

Some Kazakhs are nomadic herders and raise sheep, goats, cattle and horses. These nomadic Kazakhs migrate seasonally in search of pasture for their animals. During the summer, the Kazakhs live in yurts while in winter, they are settled and live in modest houses made out of adobe or cement blocks. Others live in the urban areas and tend to be highly educated and hold much influence in integrated communities. The Islam practiced by the Kazakhs in China contains many elements of shamanism, ancestor worship and other traditional beliefs and practices.^[16]

Notable Kazakh Chinese[]

• Osman Batur, Kazakh chieftain who fought both for and against the Nationalist Chinese government in the 1940s and early 1950s.
• Nazaerbieke Bieken, pro cyclist.
• Dalelkhan Sugirbayev, Kazakh chieftain who fought against the Nationalist Chinese government and sought to join the Chinese Communists in 1949.
• Jumabieke Tuerxun, mixed martial arts fighter. He previously fought as a Bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.^[17]
• Kanat Islam, boxer. Bronze medals winner at the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2007 World Championships and the 2006 Asian Games.
• Mamer, Kazakh folk singer
• Yerjet Yerzat, Chinese footballer Chongqing Dangdai Lifan FC.
• Ashat Kerimbay (Kazakh: Асхат Керімбай) is a Chinese politician.
• Mayra Muhammad-kyzy (Maira Kerey, Kazakh: Maıra Muhamedqyzy) is a Kazakh opera singer. She was the first Kazakh at the Parisian Grand Opera. She is a Honored Artist of the Republic.
• Qazhyghumar Shabdanuly (Kazakh: Қажығұмар Шабданұлы) was a Kazakh Chinese political activist and an author writing in Kazakh language. For more than forty years, Shabdanuly was imprisoned by the People's Republic of China for his political views.
• Xiakaini Aerchenghazi (Kazakh: Шакен Аршынғазы), speed skater. He competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
• , speed skater. He competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
• Yeljan Shinar (Kazakh: Елжан Шынар) is a footballer currently playing as a defender for Shenzhen.
• Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed (Kazakh: Мұхтар Абрарұлы Құл-Мұхаммед) is a politician and a public figure of Kazakhstan, First Deputy Chairman of "Nur Otan" party.
• Yeerlanbieke Katai (Kazakh: Ерланбек Кәтейұлы) is a freestyle wrestler. He competed in the men's freestyle 65 kg event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Bronze medals winner at the 2014 Asian Games.
• Yushan Nijiati is amateur boxer, bronze medal winner at the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships. in the 91 kg.
• Janabil Jänäbil Smağululı (Kazakh: Жәнәбіл Смағұлұлы) is a male Chinese politician.
• Walihan Sailike (Kazakh: Уалихан Сайлық) is a Greco-Roman wrestler. Bronze medal winner in the 60 kg event at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships. Bronze medal winner in the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.
• Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan (Kazakh: Тоқтарбек Танатхан) is amateur boxer. He competed in the men's middleweight event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

See also[]

• Kazakh exodus from Xinjiang
• Kyrgyz in China

References[]

External links[]

• Map of Kazakh share by county