 corruption of an ancient system of classification that grouped people and families by their inherited trades. The lowest castes, once known as “untouchables,” are now commonly referred to as Dalits. See HINDI; HINDU; HINDUISM; INDIA; SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA; UNTOUCHABLES.
Caution, not a synonym for American. Term for white, or relatively light-skinned, people originally from Europe and adjacent regions of Africa and Asia. Named after Caucasus mountain range between Russia and Georgia. The paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould traced the term to Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840), a German naturalist, who concluded that the Georgian people of the Caucasus region were the most beautiful and therefore most likely the first human beings created by God. See also ALL-AMERICAN; ARYAN; ASIA; ASIATIC; CHARLIE CHAN; EXOTIC; FU MANCHU; IRAN; RACE, biological basis for; RACE, sociological construct of; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
Caution. Stereotype. Created by Earl Derr Biggers, a mystery novelist, in 1925. Charlie Chan became the protagonist in many popular Hollywood films from 1926 to 1981. Chan was played by white actors, including Warner Oland, who also played the evil Dr. Fu Manchu. While a skilled detective, Chan spoke “inscrutable” dialogue that often began, “Confucius say…” In “Behind That Curtain,” Chan said, “I fear I am victim of crude philosophy from Orient. Man — what is he? Merely one link in great chain binding past with future. All times I remember I am link.” See also CAUCASIAN; CHINA DOLL; CONFUCIANISM; DIALECT; DRAGON LADY; EXOTIC; FU MANCHU; INSCRUTABLE; ORIENTAL; PROVERBS, Chinese fondness for; STEREOTYPES; YELLOW PERIL.
A vast topic and one of the world’s oldest civilizations, at more than 4,000 years. Second-largest world economy after that of the United States. With Japan and India, China is part of one-quarter of the global economy. About the size of the United States in land mass, with four times the number of people. Communist Party rule since 1949; normalized relations with the United States since 1978. Economically weak for much of modern history, China revived sharply with a form of state capitalism beginning in the 1980s. Homogeneous population (see ethnic groups below), but many historical and linguistic divisions. A continuing theme of Chinese history is the central government’s fear of political instability leading to catastrophic violence (see Taipeng Rebellion). Archaic to use “Mainland China” or “Red China,” though the former may be used to distinguish the mainland from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Capital: Beijing. Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese) and others. Faith: Officially atheist, but followers of Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are found. Population: 1.3 billion (2012 estimate). Proportion of population younger than 15: less than one-fifth. Ethnic groups: Han (92 percent), Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uighur, Tujia, Yi, Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean and others (2000 estimate). Literacy: 92 percent. (Source: World Factbook.) See ASIA, scholars of; ASIAN, U.S, Census definition of; BUDDHISM; CANTONESE; CHARLIE CHAN; CHINAMAN; CHINA DOLL; CHINK; COLONIALISM; CONFUCIANISM; DRAGON LADY; FORTUNE COOKIE; FU MANCHU; GOOK; HONG KONG; INDIA; INSCRUTABLE; MACAU; MANDARIN; PROVERBS, Chinese fondness for; SLANT; SLOPE; TAIPENG REBELLION; TAIWAN; TAOISM; TIANANMEN SQUARE; TIBET; UIGHUR; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN. See individual countries bordering China, such as VIETNAM.
Caution. A figurine, usually porcelain. When used metaphorically, the image demeans women of Chinese or Asian heritage because it implies submission, sometimes of a sexual nature. See reverse image of sexual dominance in DRAGON LADY. Both images are pejorative. See also CHARLIE CHAN; EXOTIC; FOREIGN-NESS; FU MANCHU; INSCRUTABLE; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
Avoid. A slur, often applied to anyone of Asian heritage. A term from 19th-century America, specifically for Chinese workers who worked for small wa