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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 101,192 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 China (Guangxi, Guizhou) | |
| Languages | |
| Maonan | |
| Religion | |
| Taoism and animism[1] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Dong, Zhuang |
The Maonan people (Chinese: 毛南族; pinyin: Máonán zú; Maonan: Anan, literally "local people") are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. There are a total of 101,192 Maonan as of 2010, mostly living northern Guangxi and southern Guizhouinsouthern China.[2]
The Maonan people's autonyms are ʔai1 na:n6 (a Maonan person), kjɔŋ5 na:n6 (the Maonan people). Their language is called va6 na:n6 (Lu 2008:33).[3]
More than 80% of the Maonan share the same surname: Tan (simplified Chinese: 谭; traditional Chinese: 譚). Maonan with the surname Tan believe that they are descended from the old inhabitants of the province of Hunan that migrated to Guangxi and married Maonan women. Other common surnames found in this ethnic group are: Lu (卢/盧), Liu (刘/劉), Shi (石), Qin (覃), Wei (韦/韋) and Yuan (袁).
The towns of the Maonan do not surpass more than 100 dwellings. Their towns are organized by clan. Their dwellings are very similar to those of the Zhuang; they are usually made up of two floors and constructed out of planks and clay. The upper floor is used as the living quarters while the lower one serves as a granary and stable.
Traditionally, the marriages were arranged by the parents when the future newlyweds are still children. Traditionally when a Maonan woman became a widow, the brother of her late husband took her as his wife.
During the funeral service, the children of the deceased had to "buy" water of a river to be able to wash the corpse. Before proceeding to the burial, the blood of a chicken was poured on the land to purify it and to bless the spirit of the dead person.
Maonan cuisine includes many pickled dishes, of which the most famous ones are known as the sa:m1 səm3ta5 ma:u6na:n6 (three-sour-middle-Maonan) "The Three Maonan Sour Dishes" (Lu 2008:47).[3] These three dishes are:
Rice wine is also popular among the Maonan.
Traditional Maonan religion is both animistic and polytheistic, with heavy Taoist influences. Many deities and rituals are borrowed from Chinese folk religion. Important figures and deities are listed below (Lu 2008:51).[3]
Maonan household shrines are called ji:ŋ1wa3 (Lu 2008:51).[3] The shrine consists of a wooden plate on a wall facing the front entrance. Names of deities and family ancestors are written on the plate.
The Maonan people also perform a redemptive ritual called vɛ4 da:u4 in order to show gratitude to ni4 fa:n1 su:i5 (cf. Chinese: Wansui Niangniang 万岁娘娘, the birth goddess). During Maonan weddings, couples ask the birth goddess for fertility. After the couple has children, they thank the birth goddess by offering 26 animals (1 ox, 7 small pigs, and 19 chickens and ducks).
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Underlined: the 56 recognized ethnic groups | |||||||||||
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| Austronesian |
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| Turkic |
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| Others |
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