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Hakka culture ( zh, t=客家文化) refers to the
culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
created by
Hakka people The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhe ...
, a
Han Chinese The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive va ...
subgroup In group theory, a branch of mathematics, given a group ''G'' under a binary operation ∗, a subset ''H'' of ''G'' is called a subgroup of ''G'' if ''H'' also forms a group under the operation ∗. More precisely, ''H'' is a subgroup ...
, across
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
and
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...
. It encompasses the shared language, various art forms, food culture, folklore, and traditional customs. Hakka culture stemmed from the culture of Ancient Han Chinese, who migrated from China's central plain to what is modern day's
Southern China South China () is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is that most of its citizens are not n ...
during the 6th to 13th century, and intermixed with local non-Han Hmong–Mien speaking ethnic groups such as the
Yao people The Yao people (its majority branch is also known as Mien; ; vi, người Dao) is a government classification for various minorities in China and Vietnam. They are one of the 55 officially recognised ethnic minorities in China and reside in ...
, the
She people The She people (; Shehua: ; Cantonese: , Fuzhou: ) are an ethnic group in China. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. The She are the largest ethnic minority in Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jia ...
, and the
Miao people The Miao are a group of linguistically-related peoples living in Southern China and Southeast Asia, who are recognized by the government of China as one of the 56 List of ethnic groups in China, official ethnic groups. The Miao live primarily in ...
. It has also been influenced by the cultures of surrounding Han Chinese groups, such as the
Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...
and the
Hoklo The Hoklo people or Hokkien people () are a Han Chinese (also Han Taiwanese) subgroup who speak Hokkien, a Southern Min language, or trace their ancestry to Southeastern Fujian, China and known by various endonyms or other related terms such a ...
. Having historically lived in the mountains of Southern China and being minority groups in many of the surrounding Chinese provinces, the Hakka have developed a culture characterized by reservedness, stability, and frugality.


Language


Architecture


Hakka walled village


Hakka earthen building


Horn House


Arts


Hakka hill song


Hakka opera


Hakkapop

Hakkapop is a genre of Hakka pop music made primarily in Taiwan, China, Indonesia and Malaysia.


Cuisine

Traditionally engaging in large amount of physical labor, Hakka people favor salty food and marinated vegetables that enable them to maintain their stamina.


Martial arts

The Hakka community is a source for a variety of martial arts including
Southern Praying Mantis Southern Praying Mantis () is a Chinese martial art originating with the Hakka people. It is most closely associated with Hakka-origin styles such as Southern Dragon Kung Fu and Bak Mei. Despite its name, the Southern Mantis style is unrelate ...
,
Bak Mei Bak Mei () is said to have been one of the legendary Five Elders — survivors of the destruction of the Shaolin Monastery by the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) — who, according to some accounts, betrayed Shaolin to the imperial gov ...
and
Southern Dragon Kung Fu The movements of the Southern Dragon style (traditional name Lung Ying) () of Shaolin Boxing are based on the mythical Chinese dragon. The Dragon style is an imitative-style that was developed based on the imagined characteristics of the mythic ...
.


Clothing

*
Shanku (), sometimes referred as (), (), or () when used as a military attire, (), () and () when made out of coarse cloth, and also known as samfu in English or samfoo (pronunciation: ') in British English following its Cantonese spelling, is ...
- coat and trousers worn by both Hakka men and women; the preferred colour is usually black and blue. Hakka people in Taiwai usually wear coats, trousers, and skirts. * Liangmao - a traditional Hakka hat worn by Hakka people. * Footbinding - Historically, Hakka women did not bind their feet when the practice was commonplace in China.


Religion

The religious practices of Hakka people are largely similar to those of other Han Chinese.
Ancestor veneration The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of t ...
is the primary form of religious expression. One distinctively Hakka religious practice involves the worship of dragon deities.


Hakka Taoism


Hakka spirit

Hakka spirit refers to the Hakka people's spirit of endurance, diligence, and bravery in exploring new lands.


Hakka sport culture in Taiwan

In Taiwan, the first Hakka community came from China Meizhou of Guangdong province, Chaozhou, Huizhou. They remain their living habits and plain life style. The most characterized area is Liudui which is located in Kaohsiung and Pingtung. Hundreds of years ago, Liudui stood for six militia units of Hakka defense, which are Qiandui, Houdui, Zuodui, Youdui, Zhongdui and Hsianfengdui, respectively. Therefore, it represents to the Hakka communities in Pingtung and Kaohsiung. During the Qing Dynasty, the people in Liudui pushed down by the government. In order to strengthen their solidarity and protect their home, the people trained for defense. Gradually, the Liudui Hakka martial art become a local sport as the Japanese Government ruled Taiwan. With a great effort and support of local people, in 1948, the first Liudui Sports Game was held in Zhutian, Pingtung. However, it was forced to barricade for eighteen years by the government when Taiwan was under the martial law generation. Fortunately, in 1966, the Liudui Sports Game back in action. This event is annually held by the local government, and it has a strong connection with the Hakka culture. Since then, it has been a firm tradition event in Taiwan. The Liudui Sports Game is also known as Olympics of Dawu Mountain. This sport game originated from the early martial. It is held by the Liudui immigrants. Liudui Sports Game is the biggest and the most unique Hakka contest in the Southern Taiwan, and it is the only Hakka sports event in the country. The purpose of the Liudui Sports Game is not only to commemorate the brave early immigrants but also to let the Hakka tradition pass down for years. Moreover, this game encourages people to do more exercise because exercising is good for people in both physical and mental part. It is also a perfect time to gather people together. The Liudui Sports Game is popular among the athletes in Taiwan. Many famous athletes and sports figures have participated in this game such as Tseng Tsai-hua, who competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Furthermore, it is often viewed as one of the cradles for Taiwan’s athletes. Recently, the Liudui Sports Game has become a Hakka festival. Since it is not only an athletic activity but also a festival that people can learn about the Hakka culture such as history, art, and customs. People said that the Liudui Sports Game has carried on tradition Hakka culture, and truly demonstrated the Hakka spirit. Before the sports competitions begin, there are series of activities which are included in this festival. For instance, it will hold passing the Liudui torch, an opera performance, and a bicycling tour. In addition, after the competition, there are a group of singers and bands hold a concert in the evening.


Character of Hakka people

As a minority group, Hakka people learned how to protect their homeland by themselves. When battle came, they were described as indomitable and courageous. Furthermore, they conquered it with their power and wisdom. They are stronger, more independent, and more courageous than most Chinese. Hakka people are hard-working and united. Many foreign scholars were full of admiration of the Hakka people. According to prominent sinologist Victor Purcell, the Hakkas "have a stubbornness of disposition that distinguishes them from their fellow Chinese".


See also

*
Cantonese culture Lingnan culture, or Cantonese culture, refers to the regional Chinese culture of the region of Lingnan: twin provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi, the names of which mean "eastern expanse" and "western expanse" respectively. Strictly speaking, t ...
*
Hokkien culture Minnan culture or Hokkien/Hoklo culture (Hokkien Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bân-lâm bûn-hòa; ), also considered as the Mainstream Southern Min Culture, refers to the culture of the Hokkien people, Hoklo people, a Han Chinese subgroups, group of Han Chinese ...
*
Gan culture The word Gan or the initials GAN may refer to: Places *Gan, a Glossary of Hebrew toponyms#Gan, component of Hebrew placenames literally meaning "garden" China * Gan River (Jiangxi) * Gan River (Inner Mongolia), * Gan County, in Jiangxi prov ...
*
Xiang culture The culture of Hunan (湖湘文化) refers to the culture of the people based in the Hunan province of China. The mountainous terrain of Hunan separates it from the surrounding Chinese provinces, resulting in its own distinct characteristics. A ...
*
Chinese culture Chinese culture () is one of the world's oldest cultures, originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia and is extremely diverse and varying, with customs and traditions varying grea ...


References

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