Endangered Languages Northeast China

This region includes Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and eastern Inner Mongolia. It is home to several endangered languages from diverse language families.

Endangered languages in Northeastern China are mostly the Tungusic and Mongolic. Also a few critically endangered include Hezhen, Uilta, and Manchu.

Northeast China is home to several endangered languages spoken by ethnic minorities such as the Manchu, Xibe, Evenki, and Oroqen. These languages carry the cultural identity and historical knowledge of their people, but they are rapidly declining due to the widespread use of Mandarin Chinese. While preservation efforts exist, including language revitalization programs and digital archives, fluent speakers are decreasing.

1. Manchu

• Classification: Tungusic (a branch of the Altaic family).
• Speakers: Fewer than 20 fluent speakers, mostly elderly, in Heilongjiang Province (Sanjiazi and Dawujia villages).
• Status: Critically endangered. Most ethnic Manchu people (approx. 10 million) no longer speak the language.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • Local schools in Sanjiazi offer Manchu language classes.
  • Linguists and the Chinese government have documented Manchu, creating dictionaries and digitizing historical texts.
  • Online learning platforms and social media have emerged to support revitalization.

2. Xibe (Sibe)

• Classification: Tungusic, closely related to Manchu.
• Speakers: Approximately 30,000, concentrated in Qapqal County, Xinjiang, but some reside in Liaoning.
• Status: Vulnerable. The younger generation is shifting to Mandarin.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • Xibe is taught in some schools in Qapqal.
  • Regional broadcasts and publications in Xibe exist but are declining.

3. Oroqen

• Classification: Tungusic.
• Speakers: Estimated 1,200–3,000, primarily in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang.
• Status: Critically endangered. Speakers are mainly elderly, and younger generations are adopting Mandarin.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • Government funding for documentation projects, including a dictionary and recordings.
  • Cultural festivals help maintain traditions but rarely emphasize the language.

4. Evenki (Ewenke)

• Classification: Tungusic.
• Speakers: Approx. 10,000 in China, mainly in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang. Only a fraction are fluent.
• Status: Endangered. Modern education systems discourage Evenki use.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • Recorded folklore and oral traditions.
  • Local initiatives aim to preserve Evenki storytelling and songs.
  • Governmental support exists but focuses more on cultural than linguistic preservation.

5. Hezhen (Nanai)

• Classification: Tungusic.
• Speakers: Fewer than 300, mostly elderly, in Heilongjiang.
• Status: Critically endangered. Younger generations overwhelmingly speak Mandarin.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • The Chinese government has designated Hezhen as “intangible cultural heritage” and funded documentation projects.
  • A few Hezhen schools exist, but community interest is limited.

6. Daur

• Classification: Mongolic.
• Speakers: About 9,000 fluent speakers, primarily in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang.
• Status: Vulnerable. Use is declining as younger speakers shift to Mandarin or Mongolian.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • Linguistic documentation has been carried out by Chinese researchers.
  • Cultural centers promote Daur traditional arts, but language programs remain rare.

7. Uilta (Orok)

• Classification: Tungusic.
• Speakers: Fewer than 20 in China (located on the border with Russia in Heilongjiang).
• Status: Critically endangered. Uilta is more commonly spoken in Russia.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • Minimal efforts in China due to the extremely small speaker base.
  • International linguists have documented the language, including cross-border efforts with Russia.

8. Monguor (Tu)

• Classification: Mongolic.
• Speakers: Around 190,000, with small communities in northeast Inner Mongolia.
• Status: Endangered. Monguor is losing speakers to Mandarin.
• Preservation Efforts:
  • Some cultural preservation projects exist, but they rarely include language-specific programs.
  • Documentation efforts by Chinese linguists have resulted in grammar and vocabulary studies.

Summary of Northeast China

The endangered languages in this region belong mostly to the Tungusic and Mongolic families, with a few critically endangered languages like Hezhen, Uilta, and Manchu. The main challenges include language shift to Mandarin, the lack of intergenerational transmission, and insufficient resources for revitalization.