Manchu abroad: identity recognition and language revival among global descendants

Abstract

The Manchu language and traditions have become popular abroad in recent years. In a multicultural environment, examining the identity construction of overseas Manchu descendants and their language revival practices helps to understand the interactive connection between identity and language use. It provides critical references for protecting and inheriting endangered languages. This study is based on the investment, agency and imagined community theory in the comprehensive framework of Li (2022). The research adopts a qualitative research method and uses interviews to observe how Manchu descendants build their identity elsewhere in a multicultural environment and assess the challenges and strategies they face in the process of language revival. The research found that the language investment of overseas Manchu descendants is a confirmation and reshaping of identity. However, learning and using Manchu frequently encounters practical problems due to the host country's social and cultural constraints. In the effort to revive language and cultural communication, Manchus also face problems like discrimination and cultural marginalization. The research shows that the global Manchu online community has played an important role in the language revival process, giving learners a system for community support and resource sharing and promoting social relationships among Manchu descendants worldwide.