民族政策是中国民族史研究的重点——以民族政策的制定为例

Ethnic Policies Are the Focus of the Study of Chinese Ethnic History:Taking the Formulation of Ethnic Policies as an Example

中国民族史主要研究中国历史上各民族的历史和民族关系史,涉及的内容非常广泛。从各民族来看,它既包括在历史上产生,并已经在历史上消亡的民族,如:匈奴、鲜卑、突厥、柔然、契丹等;同时,也包括在历史上产生,并延续到现在的民族,这就是我们现在的55个少数民族。从民族关系来看,它既包括汉族与少数民族之间的相互关系,也包括少数民族与少数民族之间的关系,如藏族与蒙古族的关系、满族与蒙古族的关系、维吾尔族与回族的关系等等。在这众多内容中,各民族政权实行的民族政策是其基本的内容。民族政策的制定与实施涉及到以上相关部分的很多内容,要将民族政策弄清楚,首先就要去研究相关内容。民族政策本身又涉及到很多方面,如民族政策的制定、民族政策的执行、民族政策的评估和民族政策的调整与终结等。民族政策的制定主要包括:民族政策的决策者与决策对象、民族政策的决策信息、民族政策的决策理论和方法,和民族政策的决策结果等四个部分。本文主要运用民族政策理论,从这四个方面对历代中央王朝民族政策的制定进行介绍,进而从一个侧面说明各民族政权实行的民族政策是中国民族史研究的重点。

The study of Chinese ethnic history mainly focuses on the history of Chinese ethnic peoples and the relations among the ethnic minorities in the history of China;it involves a wide range of topics.From the perspective of the various ethnicities,it includes those ethnic minorities who had come into existence but disappeared over time.At the same time,it also includes the study of ethnic groups who emerged in the past and still exist today.From the viewpoint of ethnic relations,it includes not only the relationship between the Han people and other ethnic peoples but also the relationships among the ethnic minorities.Among all these topics,the ethnic policies of the central dynasties form one of the basic contents in the study of Chinese ethnic history.The study of ethnic policies can be seen from manyangles,such as formulation,implementation,evaluation,adjustment,and termination.The formulation of ethnic policy includes mainly four aspects:policy decision-makers and their targets,the information needed for making decisions on ethnic policy,methods and theory of ethnic policy,and the impact of ethnic policy.By following the Chinese theory of ethnic policy,this paper introduces the formulation of ethnic policies by the central dynasties from the four aspects mentioned above.This is to support the idea that,to some extent,ethnic policies of the central dynasties should be a main focus in the study of Chinese ethnic history.1.Policy decision makers and the targets When we study those who decide on ethnic policy,we should first make clear how the dominant ethnicities came into being,developed,and indeed became the leading ethnic groups.To develop a strong and targeted ethnic policy,one must first understand which ethnic peoples are the objectives of this policy,and understand the specific situations of these ethnic groups,including their economies,lifestyles,and customs.2.Information needed for ethnic policy formulation The decision making information for ethnic policy includes a variety of data that is then used to formulate ethnic policy.Specifically,it includes the history and status quo of the relevant ethnic peoples as well as interethnic relations,which are the bases and premises of determining ethnic policy.3.Theory and methods for making ethnic policy A complete set of theories and methods is needed for decision makers regarding policy targets and policy formulation that both should be fact-based,relying on the intel they have obtained.In ancient China there were theories and methods available for making ethnic policies.4.Results of ethnic policy The impact of ethnic policy is about the specific output of ethnic policy,such as the specific result of chujun policy in the early Qin and Han dynasties,the specific effect of jimi policy in the Sui and Tang dynasties,the North and South official system in the Liao Kingdom,the system of four hierarchies of the people in the Yuan dynasty,and the policy of ethnic equality and ethnic unity in the People s Republic of China.