Besides Han characters, which are widely used by China's Han, Hui and Man ethnic groups, the museum also houses items bearing more than 40 other types of written languages used by the country's other minority ethnic groups, including the Tibetan, Uygur and Kazak.
"The Chinese characters used by all ethnic groups in China are the 'cultural genes' of Chinese civilization and history," said Professor Wang Yunzhi, of Zhengzhou University.
"They have a strong national cohesion," he said. "They have helped sustain ethnic unity between Han and other minority ethnic groups. Because the written languages of different ethnic groups kept interacting with and borrowing from each other."
In the exhibition hall, which covers 34,500 square meters, school text books written in languages of minority ethnic groups, such as Zhuang and Miao, are displayed along with bronze tripods and silk scrolls with square-shaped Han characters.
"All the written languages of China's ethnic groups are equal just as they are equal in our daily lives," said Professor Zhang Gongjin, of the Beijing-based Minzu University of China at the opening ceremony.
Even the rarely known written form of the Sute language is featured in the museum.
Email to Friends
Print
Save