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Concept
Sinicization
Summary
Sinicization, sinofication, sinification, or sinonization (from the prefix Sino-, 'Chinese, relating to China') is the process by which non-Chinese societies or groups are acculturated or assimilated into Chinese culture, particularly the language, societal norms, culture, and ethnic identity of the Han Chinese—the largest ethnic group of China.
Areas of influence include diet, writing, industry, education, language/lexicon, law, architectural style, politics, philosophy, religion, science and technology, value systems, and lifestyle.
The term sinicization is also often used to refer to processes or policies of acculturation or assimilation of norms from China on neighboring East Asian societies, or on minority ethnic groups within China. Evidence of this process is reflected in the histories of Korea, Japan, and Vietnam in the adoption of the Chinese writing system, which has long been a unifying feature in the Sinosphere as the vehicle for exporting Chinese culture to other Asian countries.
The integration or assimilation policy is a type of Chinese nationalism aimed at strengthening the Chinese identity (Zhonghua minzu) among the population. Proponents believe integration will help to develop shared values, pride in being the country's citizen, respect and acceptance towards cultural differences among citizens of China. Critics argue that integration destroys ethnic diversity, language diversity, and cultural diversity. According to academic James A. Millward, Sinicization is used to obscure Han settler colonialism.
In China there are 292 non-Mandarin languages spoken by native peoples of the region. There are also a number of immigrant languages, such as Khmer, Portuguese, English, etc.
Before sinicization, non-Chinese indigenous peoples of Southern China, collectively termed by the Chinese as Baiyue (), inhabited the coastline of China from as far north as the Yangtze River to as far south as the Gulf of Tonkin.
As early as the 11th century BC, some of the Baiyue peoples in the Yangtze River Delta started to sinicize, marked by their establishment of the Wu State.
Official source
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