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'''William Thomas Forshaw''' ([[20 April]] [[1890]]-[[26 May]] [[1943]]) was an [[England|English]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.
[[Image:China ethnolinguistic 1967.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Ethnolinguistic map of China]]
The [[People's Republic of China]] is a multi-ethnic unitary state and, as such, officially recognizes 55 '''ethnic minority''' groups within [[China]] together with the [[Han Chinese|Han]] majority. The 55 ethnic minority groups consist of only about 8% of the population of [[China]]. In addition to these officially recognized ethnic minority groups, there are Chinese nationals who privately classify themselves as members of [[Undistinguished ethnic groups in China|unrecognized ethnic groups]] (such as [[Jewish]], [[Tuvan]], [[Oirat]] and [[Ili Turki]]). Also, foreign nationals who have become Chinese citizens form yet another separate group.
He was 25 years old, and a [[lieutenant]] in the 1/9th Battalion, [[The Manchester Regiment]], [[British Army]] during the [[First World War]] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
In general, the officially recognized ethnic minority groups reside within [[mainland China]], with the exception of the ethnic groups of [[Hainan]] and the [[Taiwanese aborigine]]s. The latter are classified as a single one of the 55 ethnic minority groups, [[Gaoshan]], even though they represent several linguistically and culturally diverse ethnicities. [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau]] do not use this ethnic classification system, and figures by the PRC government do not include the two cities.
During the period [[7 August]]/[[9 August]] [[1915]] in [[Gallipoli]], [[Turkey]], when holding the north-west corner of "''The Vineyard''" against heavy attacks by the Turks, Lieutenant Forshaw not only directed his men but personally threw bombs continuously for over 40 hours. When his detachment was relieved, he volunteered to continue directing the defence. Later, when the Turks captured a portion of the trench, he shot three of them and recaptured it. It was due to his fine example and magnificent courage that this very important position was held.
In the PRC and the [[Republic of China]], these ethnic minority groups, together with the Han majority, make up the greater Chinese nationality known as ''[[Zhonghua Minzu]]''. Unless specifically stated or discussing Chinese minorities, English usage of the term "Chinese" typically refers to the Chinese nation, and not the [[Han Chinese]].
He later achieved the rank of [[major]]. Buried at Touchen End Cemetery, Bray, near [[Maidenhead]], England. For many years the grave was unmarked but a new stone was erected in 1994 though not on exact site.
==Ethnic groups==
[[image:Longhorn Miao China.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The Long-horn tribe, a small branch of ethnic [[Miao]] in the western part of Guizhou Province.]]
Most ethnic groups are distinctive from one another, but there are some that are very similar to the Han majority group. For example, many [[Hui Chinese]] are indistinguishable from [[Han Chinese]] except for the fact that they practice [[Islam]]. Conversely, [[Hakka]] are often thought of as an ethnic group, but they are generally considered to be within the [[subgroups of the Han ethnicity]].
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the [[Museum of the Manchester Regiment]], [[Town Hall, Ashton-under-Lyne, England]].
While Han Chinese make up the vast majority of China's total population, the population distribution is highly uneven with large parts of western China having Han Chinese as a minority. In addition the lumping of most Chinese into the majority Han, obscures some of the large linguistic, cultural, and genetic differences between persons within that group.
==References==
The multi-ethnic nature of China results in many centuries of assimilation, expansion and modern consolidation of territories incorporated by the [[Qing dynasty]], whose emperors were themselves [[Manchu]] and not members of the majority Han. Chinese ethnicities theory is heavily influenced by that of the [[Soviet Union]]. Official policy is against [[cultural assimilation|assimilation]] and maintains that each ethnic group should have the right to develop its own [[culture]] and [[language]].
*((Volunteer Infantry of Ashton-under-Lyne)) Robert Bonner, 2005)
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)
*[[VCs of the First World War - Gallipoli]] (Stephen Snelling, 1995)
==External links and references== ▼The degree of integration of ethnic minorities with the national community varies widely from group to group. With some groups, such as the [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]]s and the [[Uyghur]]s there is some resentment against the majority. Other groups such as the [[Zhuang]], [[Manchu]], [[Hui]], and ethnic [[Koreans]] are well integrated into the national community and typically identify themselves as part of the [[Zhonghua Minzu|Chinese nationality]].
*[http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/berkshir.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Berkshire)''
*[http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/bbforsha.htm News Item] ''(grave search culminating in erection and dedication of a headstone)''
[[Category:British Battle of Gallipoli Victoria Cross recipients|Forshaw, William Thomas]]
See [[List of China administrative regions by ethnic group]] for the ethnic composition of each province-level division of China.
[[Category:British Army officers|Forshaw, William Thomas]]
[[Category:1890 births|Forshaw, William Thomas]]
[[Category:1943 deaths|Forshaw, William Thomas]]
The Ashton Territorials, 9th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment during WWI. [http://www.ashtonpals.fusiveweb.co.uk/]
==Complications==
[[Undistinguished ethnic groups in China|Undistinguished ethnic groups]] (未识别民族: Wèi Shíbié Mínzú) are ethnic groups that have not been officially recognized or classified by the central government. The group numbers more than 730,000 people, and would constitute the 20th most populous ethnic group of China if taken as a single group (which it is not). The vast majority of this group is found in [[Guizhou]] province.
These "undistinguished ethnic groups" do '''not''' include groups that have been controversially classified into existing groups. For example, the [[Mosuo]] are officially classified as [[Naxi]], and the [[Chuanqing]] are classified as [[Han Chinese]], but they reject these classifications and view themselves as separate ethnic groups.
Citizens of [[mainland China]] (i.e., excluding the former European colonies of [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau]]; see [[Macanese people]]) who are of foreign origin are classified using yet another separate label: "foreigners naturalized into the Chinese citizenship" (外国人入中国籍). However, if there is an existing group among the 56 ethnic groups that describes the citizen of foreign origin (e.g., Han Chinese, Korean, Russian, Gin, Kazakh, etc.), then he or she is classified into that ethnic group rather than the special label.
==Religions==
Note that some of these ethnic groups hold belief systems that cannot be distinctly classified based upon the following system (in alphabetical order).
* [[Buddhism]]: the Bai, Bulang, Dai, Jinuo, Jingpo, Mongol, Naxi (including Mosuo), Nu, Tibetan and Yugun.
* [[Eastern Orthodox Christianity]]: the Russians
* [[Islam]]: the Bonan, Dongxiang, Hui, Kazak, Kirgiz, Salar, Tajik, Tatar, Uyghur and Uzbek.
* [[Shamanism]]: the Daurs, Ewenkis, and Oroqens.
==Notes==
* {{fnb|1}} The PRC government refers to all Taiwanese aborigines as ''Gaoshan'' (高山族), meaning "High Mountain", whereas the government of the ROC in [[Taiwan]] recognizes a dozen groups of Taiwanese aborigines. The term ''Gaoshan'' has a different connotation in Taiwan (see [[Taiwanese aborigines]] for details). While several thousands of these aborigines have migrated to PRC's [[Fujian]] province, most remain in Taiwan; whether the ones in Taiwan should be considered citizens of the PRC is a controversial issue of [[Legal status of Taiwan|ROC's and Taiwan's legal status]] and [[Political status of Taiwan|political status]].
==See also==
* [[List of ethnic groups in China]]
* [[Chinese nationality law|Chinese citizenship law]]
* [[Undistinguished ethnic groups in China]]
* [[Demographics of China]]
* [[Languages of China]]
* [[Ethnic groups in Chinese history|Chinese ethnic groups of the past]]
* [[Zhonghua minzu]]
* [[List of ethnic groups]]
* [[Central University for Nationalities]]
* [[China National Ethnic Song and Dance]]
▲==External links and references==
* [http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Minorities/index.html Chinese National Minorities]
* [http://www.e56.com.cn The Ethnic Publishing House]: on customs and autonomous places (in [[Simplified Chinese]])
* [http://www.ConnectChina.com China National Ethnic Song & Dance Ensemble]
{{CEG}}
[[Category:Ethnic groups in China|*]]
[[de:Völker Chinas]]
[[eo:Nacioj de Cxinio]]
[[fr:Nationalités de Chine]]
[[id:Daftar suku di Republik Rakyat Tiongkok]]
[[it:Etnie cinesi]]
[[ja:中国の少数民族]]
[[simple:Nationalities of China]]
[[fi:Kiinan etniset ryhmät]]
[[sv:Kinas nationaliteter]]
[[zh:中华民族]]
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