Friends who have watched Qing Dynasty dramas must know that Manchu surnames are very distinctive, with over 670 Manchu surnames. In the Qing Dynasty, Manchu people were accustomed to only being famous without taking their surnames. After the Xinhai Revolution, the Nationalist government ordered all Manchu people to take their surnames and become naturalized, so the old Manchu surnames gradually disappeared and were gradually abbreviated or translated into Chinese character surnames. For example, the Guarjia family translated their surname as Guan, the Niuhulu family translated their surname as Lang, the Yirgen Jueluo family translated their surname as Zhao, the Zhangjia family changed their surname to Zhang, and the Fucha family changed their surname to Fu. Embroidery is one of the most distinctive traditional arts of the Manchu people, which has been passed down among the people since ancient times and has been enduring for a long time. Manchu embroidery absorbs the strengths of Han ethnic famous embroidery such as Su embroidery, Shu embroidery, and Guang embroidery, cleverly integrating them with the aesthetic concepts and customs of the ethnic group, forming its own character and charm, and also showing the ancient customs of the Manchu ancestors and the ingenuity of the Eight Banners women.
Throughout the long course of history, the Manchu people have developed their own unique customs and traditions
1、 Clothing Features
The clothing of the Manchu people has distinct ethnic characteristics, retaining traditional elements while incorporating the changes of the times.
Men’s clothing: Men often wear long robes and jackets, with split sides and waist straps for easy riding and shooting. In winter, wear a leather robe and a jacket or camisole. This clothing design not only conforms to the living habits of the Manchu people, but also reflects their bravery and heroism.
Women’s clothing: The cheongsam for women is a representative of Manchu clothing. The cheongsam is tight fitting and has smooth lines, which can fully showcase the beauty of women’s bodies. There are various styles of qipao, including single, clip, cotton, and leather, and the colors are also rich and diverse. In addition, Manchu women also like to wear camisoles on the outer cover of qipao to add a sense of layering to their clothing.
Hair accessories and shoes: Manchu men’s hair accessories are mainly shaved and braided, while women’s hair accessories are more complex and varied, such as “two heads” and “big wings”. In terms of shoes and hats, Manchu men often wear cloth shoes or horse boots, while women often wear embroidered shoes or flowerpot bottom shoes. These shoe decorations are not only beautiful and elegant, but also have certain practicality.
2、 Dietary customs
The food culture of the Manchu people is also unique, integrating various ingredients and cooking methods.
Staple food: Manchu people mainly eat miscellaneous grains such as millet and yellow rice, as well as rice and white flour. They are good at making various miscellaneous grains into delicious foods, such as glutinous rice, yellow rice cakes, etc.
Meat consumption: Manchu people enjoy eating pork, especially boiled pork and blood sausage, which play an important role in Manchu banquets. In addition, they also enjoy eating wild game such as deer meat and roe deer meat.
Dim sum and Snacks: Manchu people have many flavor snacks and a wide variety of Dim sum, such as Saqima, Lvdagur (Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour), etc. These Dim sum are exquisite, unique in taste, and loved by people.
3、 Residential customs
The living customs of the Manchu people also reflect their way of life and aesthetic concepts.
House structure: Manchu houses are mostly single story or earthen houses facing north and south, with low walls surrounding the courtyard and shadow walls inside. There are usually three rooms indoors, with the west room being the west upper room for elders to live in; In the middle is the kitchen; The East Room is the East Lower Room, used for storage or guest rooms. This type of housing structure is both convenient for living and in line with the living habits of the Manchu people.
Furniture and Display: Manchu furniture is mainly practical, such as kang tables, kang cabinets, etc. The indoor furnishings are also simple and elegant, emphasizing the combination of practicality and aesthetics.
4、 Festival customs
The festival customs of the Manchu people are rich and colorful, full of strong ethnic flavor.
Spring Festival: Spring Festival is one of the most important festivals for the Manchu people. They hold grand celebrations on this day, such as pasting couplets, setting off firecrackers, and having New Year’s Eve dinner. In addition, the Manchu people have a unique custom of “worshiping stars”, which means praying to the stars on New Year’s Eve for a bountiful harvest and happiness in the coming year.
Mid-Autumn Festival: During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Manchu people also enjoy the moon and eat moon cakes, but their moon cake making methods and tastes may be different from those of Han people.
Other festivals: such as the Loong Boat Festival, the Double Ninth Festival and other traditional festivals, Manchu people will also celebrate according to their own customs.
5、 Marriage customs
The marriage customs of the Manchu people also have certain uniqueness.
Marriage system: The Manchu people practice monogamy, but polygamy also exists among the nobility. Marriage is often arranged by parents, and the man needs to hire a matchmaker to propose to the woman, and after multiple round trips, the marriage can be confirmed.
Wedding ceremony: The wedding ceremony of the Manchu people is complicated and grand, including multiple stages such as discussion, small ceremony, large ceremony, wedding ceremony, etc. At the wedding, the groom shoots three arrows to show bravery, while the bride sits on the kang in the bridal chamber to “sit and bless” for the day.
In summary, the folk characteristics of the Manchu people are reflected in various aspects such as clothing, food, housing, festivals, and marriage. These customs not only reflect the lifestyle and aesthetic concepts of the Manchu people, but also showcase their profound cultural heritage and historical inheritance.
