The Zhuang of China are an Ethnic Group with an Ancient and Long-standing Language and Culture, Including the Period when the Zhuang and Thai People Migrated and Separated from Each Other A Case Study from Ancient Chinese Documents

Abstract

This research topic asks whether or not China’s Zhuang ethnic group has a long history of language and culture? The following research is a documentary research that aims to: 1. To research whether or not China’s Zhuang ethnic group has a long history of language and culture. 2. To research the linguistic features of the ancient Chinese Zhuang people to determine if there is any practical sociocultural value in said research, and to search from the perspective of the Zhuang and Thai people sharing a common social origin, to see whether or not a new yet undiscovered historical basis can be found. The research methodology covers documentary and linguistic research. Content analysis methodology is utilized in the analysis of documentary and linguistic material, and descriptive analysis was implemented in the research results. 3. To determine the period during which the Zhuang and Tai peoples diverged and migrated from each other, using data from linguistics, documentary linguistics, and etymology recorded in ancient Chinese documents. This involves examining the information through the use of documentary research, documentary linguistics, philology, analytical methodology, and content analysis. The findings are presented using descriptive analysis, followed by a summary of the results.

The research results indicate a relationship between ancient Zhuang and the contemporary Thai language. It can be seen that 5,000-6,000 years ago, the Zhuang language had already become the language used for communication within the ethnic group, and also demonstrates the sheer length of their linguistic and cultural history. Research into ancient Zhuang linguistic culture helps facilitate a deeper understanding of the characteristics and knowledge of Zhuang culture. At the same time, the Zhuang vocabulary offers compelling linguistic proof of the shared ancestral origins between the Zhuang ethnic group and the Thai people of Thailand.