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Manchuria

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Manchuria is a significant historical region located in Northeast Asia.

Amurrivermap
Amurrivermap

Most of this territory is part of present-day Northeast China. However, parts of the region also sit within the Russian Far East. These Russian areas lie south of the Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy ranges. The exact borders of Manchuria depend on how a person defines the area. In a narrow sense, it includes three Chinese provinces: Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. It also includes several eastern prefectures of Inner Mongolia, such as Hulunbuir and Chifeng.

EB1911 Manchuria
EB1911 Manchuria

A broader definition of the region includes the Amur River basin. This larger area includes lands that were once part of the Qing dynasty. Between 1858 and 1860, the Manchu-led Qing dynasty ceded some of these lands to the Russian Empire. This period of change is known as the Amur Annexation. The areas lost to Russia are now called Outer Manchuria or Russian Manchuria.

MANCHURIA-U.S.S.R BOUNDARY Ct002999
MANCHURIA-U.S.S.R BOUNDARY Ct002999

These territories include the Amur Oblast and Primorsky Krai. They also include the Jewish Autonomous Oblast and parts of Khabarovsk Krai. Some views of Greater Manchuria even include Sakhalin Island.

Amurrivermap
Amurrivermap

The name "Manchuria" is an exonym. An exonym is a name used by outsiders for a place. This name is derived from the endonym "Manchu," which is the name the people use for themselves. The term is believed to be of Japanese origin. It first appeared as a geographical term in the 18th or 19th century.

John-Tallis-1851-Tibet-Mongolia-and-Manchuria-NE
John-Tallis-1851-Tibet-Mongolia-and-Manchuria-NE

Japanese geographers like Takahashi Kageyasu used the term "Manshū" in the early 1800s. The name eventually spread to Europe. This happened through the work of Philipp Franz von Siebold, who brought Japanese maps to the West.

History shows that the use of the name is quite complex. During the Qing dynasty, the area had different names. People often called it Guandong, which means "East of the Pass." They also referred to it as the Three Provinces.

Qing dynasty and Manchuria
Qing dynasty and Manchuria

Some scholars argue that the term "Manchuria" was never actually used by the Chinese or the Manchus. They suggest the name was used to describe the people or their state rather than a specific region. However, other scholars believe the name appeared in Chinese writing by the late 19th century. For example, a scholar named Gong Chai used the term "Manzhou" in an essay in 1877.

Map-Qing Dynasty 1616-en
Map-Qing Dynasty 1616-en

The term became highly controversial during the 20th century. The Empire of Japan promoted the name to support its puppet state, Manchukuo.

Manchukuo map
Manchukuo map

This state included parts of Inner Mongolia and the three Chinese provinces. The Japanese used the name to suggest the region was separate from China. Because of this association with Japanese imperialism, the name is often avoided today. In China, the term is considered deprecated. Most people now simply refer to the area as the Northeast.

Manchukuo Railmap en
Manchukuo Railmap en

Manchuria has always been a home to many diverse ethnic groups. The Manchus are the descendants of the Tungusic-speaking Jurchens.

A Tartar Huntsmen on His Horse
A Tartar Huntsmen on His Horse

Other groups living in the region include Mongols, Koreans, Nanai, Nivkhs, and Ulchs. The area is also significant for ancient history. Many early ancient Koreanic kingdoms were established in this part of Asia.

Three Kingdoms of Korea Map
Three Kingdoms of Korea Map

The geography of the land, particularly the Amur River drainage basin, helped shape these cultures. The river systems provided essential resources for the many groups that settled there.

Understanding Manchuria helps us see how names and politics intersect. The changing labels reflect the changing power in the region. A single piece of land can be called "Guandong," "Manchuria," or "the Northeast." These names carry different meanings depending on who is speaking. The history of the region is tied to treaties like the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689. It is also tied to the 1858 Treaty of Aigun. Even the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship helped settle modern borders. The story of Manchuria is a story of how maps and identities change over time.

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🖼️ Images & Media (18)
File:Amurrivermap.png
Amurrivermap.png
File:John-Tallis-1851-Tibet-Mongolia-and-Manchuria-NE.jpg
John-Tallis-1851-Tibet-Mongolia-and-Manchu...
File:EB1911 Manchuria.png
EB1911 Manchuria.png
File:Manchukuo Railmap en.png
Manchukuo Railmap en.png
File:Ming divisions.png
Ming divisions.png
File:The Americana - a universal reference library, comprising the arts and sciences, literature, history, biography, geography, commerce, etc. of the world (1903) (14763639145).jpg
The Americana - a universal reference...
File:Climate Map for Manchuria-Northeast China.png
Climate Map for Manchuria-Northeast China.png
File:China Railways passenger train K1452 on Binsui railway 20120817.jpg
China Railways passenger train K1452 on...
File:Ussuriysk-Stone-Tortoise-S-3542.jpg
Ussuriysk-Stone-Tortoise-S-3542.jpg
File:Three Kingdoms of Korea Map.png
Three Kingdoms of Korea Map.png
File:Yuan dynasty and Manchuria.jpg
Yuan dynasty and Manchuria.jpg
File:Map-Qing Dynasty 1616-en.jpg
Map-Qing Dynasty 1616-en.jpg

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