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'Che people' (Chinese: 輋民 or 輋族) is a branch of Yao people found in the Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces of China. They are also known as She people outside of these areas.

Contents

History

Language

Place Names

History

Che people are the earliest known settlers in Guangdong. They originally settled along the shallow shore for easier fishing during the Neolithic era. After an influx of Yue people moved south during the Warring States Period in northern China, there was serious competition for resources between the two peoples.
From the time of the Qin dynasty, waves of migrants from northern China had a serious impact on the Che people. Because they had superior tools and technology, the migrants were able to occupy better land for farming. Some Che people were forced to relocate into the hilly areas in the Jiangxi and Fujian provinces.
Following relocation, the Che people farmed on hillsides. After burning the grass on the slope, rice seeds were cast on the burnt grasses and harvested following a growth season. Some Che people also participated in salt production and trade. Salt was obtained through the evaporation of pools of salt water.
There were many conflicts between Han Chinese and the Che people. Che salt producers on Lantau Island in Hong Kong had attacked the city of Canton in a revolt during the Song dynasty.

Language

Che people speak the Hmong-Mien languages. With the assimilation of other ethnic groups Che people have gradually lost their mother tongue and now speak other languages such as Hakka.

Place Names

After thousands of years of conflict and assimilation with the Han Chinese and Yue peoples, the specific identity of the Che people in coastal Guangdong has virtually disappeared. However, evidence can be found in place names:

★ 峒 (Tung in Cantonese language) habitats of the Che people found on hills. Examples are Kwun Yam Tung (觀音峒) and Tai Tung (大峒) near Plover Cove in Hong Kong.

★ 輋 (Che) are also habitats of the Che people on hills. This can also refer to the method of farming the Che people used. For example, Wo Che (禾輋) in Sha Tin and Ping Che (坪輋) near Ta Kwu Ling in Hong Kong.