Black Soil Brotherhood FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do I often see the term “Manchuria” online? Does it refer to the puppet state of Manchukuo? Are you trying to restore the puppet state?

A: The term “Chinese Northeast (dongbei)” carries strong Central Plains-centric overtones and is a product of a Sino-centric perspective. Manchuria should be our homeland and not just a direction defined by China. We do not seek to restore the Manchukuo regime of World War II. Regarding Manchukuo, we advocate for viewing its history during WWII from a neutral and objective perspective, while also considering it based on the local interests of Manchuria.

Q: Does “Manchurian” refer to the Manchu ethnic group? How do you define a Manchurian?

A: “Manchurian” does not refer to the Manchu ethnic group, but to all people living in the present-day Chinese provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and the four eastern leagues of Inner Mongolia. Manchurian is a geographical national concept.

Q: What is the difference between a Manchurian and a person of the Manchu ethnic group? My household registration book says I am Han Chinese. Am I also a Manchurian?

A: Manchurian is a geographical concept of a nation, while the Manchu people are an ethnic concept defined by the Chinese government. The two should not be confused. The Manchu people are one branch of the Jurchen-lineage Manchurians. We do not recognize any ethnic classifications defined by China. A large number of Manchurians of Liao-lineage and descendants of ancient peoples such as the Balhae, Khitan, and Xianbei are currently also officially defined by China as Han Chinese, referred to as “Northeast Han Chinese.” In fact, the so-called “Han Chinese” from different regions of China vary greatly. For example, people from Guangdong and Fujian in southern China are also classified as Han Chinese, but it is obvious that they have significant differences from the “Han Chinese” of northern regions like Shanxi and Hebei in terms of language, culture, and genetics. The same is true for the “Northeast Han Chinese.” If the “Han ethnic group” is a valid concept, then Europeans, and even the inhabitants of Egypt and Syria, should all be called the “Roman ethnic group.”

Q: I still don’t quite understand. If the Northeastern Han are part of the Manchu ethnic group, yet they are a distinct ethnicity, how did they emerge? Or what is the definition of their ethnicity?

A: “Northeastern Han” are Manchus of Liao descent, one of the ethnic origins of the modern Manchu ethnic group. They originate from the descendants of eight different Han Chinese from the Yuan Dynasty: the Xianbei, Bohai, Khitan, and Jurchen. Some, like the Bohai Khitan, have lived in Manchuria for generations, while others later migrated from Mongolia and Yan and Jin and became naturalized. The Liao ethnic group is still defined as Manchu, and they are one of the ethnic origins of the Manchu ethnic group.

Q: What is your basis for believing that Manchurians (Northeasterners) need national self-determination?

A: Historically, the Manchurian region has been under Chinese control for no more than 150 years. Whether during the era of Zhang Zuolin’s government or the ancient Liao and Jin dynasties, whenever Manchuria existed as an independent state, it was a prosperous and powerful golden age. Under Chinese rule, we have experienced the 1948 Changchun Massacre and the wave of layoffs in the 1990s. Now, as “China’s Northeast,” our economy is declining, young people are leaving their homes, and all China has left us is an empty promise to “revitalize the old industrial base of the Northeast.” This situation can only be changed through national self-determination.

Q: I am from the Northeast and I want to join you. What should I do?

A: You can contact us by visiting our website:

https://up-manchuria.com/

We currently have branches in the Europe and North America. We sincerely and warmly welcome you to speak with our local community leaders. Your support is crucial to our cause.

Q: Do Dalian and the four eastern leagues of Inner Mongolia (Hulunbuir, Hinggan, Chifeng, Tongliao) belong to Manchuria?

A: Yes, they do. In 1898, Tsarist Russia signed a treaty with the Qing government to forcibly occupy Dalian and Lüshun Port. After the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan seized Dalian. In 1932, Japan returned the administrative rights of Dalian to the Manchukuo government, retaining only nominal independence. The four eastern leagues of Mongolia have traditionally been part of the Northeast China region and were administered by the three northeastern provinces from 1969 to 1979. (https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E4%B8%9C%E5%8C%97%E5%9C%B0%E5%8C%BA)

Q: If we become independent, what if we are attacked and blockaded by Russia and North Korea? Would it really be better than the current situation?

A: Becoming an independent sovereign nation is the prerequisite for the Manchurian region to choose its own international foreign policy. The key to regional security is the ability to choose a foreign policy that aligns with one’s own interests. Chinese imperialism is an enemy to the entire Asia-Pacific region, and in the eyes of North Korea and Russia, its threat is far greater than that of other sovereign nations (such as Kazakhstan, Mongolia, etc.). Currently, under the control of Chinese imperialism, Manchuria is in a precarious situation both economically and politically. At the same time, the local population faces the risk of being drawn into wars that have nothing to do with them due to China’s expansionist policies. From any perspective, the damage caused by Chinese imperialism to the Manchurian region far exceeds that of other neighboring countries. For any nation, the right to determine the fate of its own homeland is built upon sovereignty.

Q: Are you sure the problems in the Northeast are about independence and not just corruption?

A: Let’s examine the current bureaucratic system in the Manchurian region. The system of “mobile bureaucrats” means that the heads of government departments and decision-makers are all appointed from within China proper. Because these parachuted-in officials are highly mobile, they are destined not to have the same emotional connection to the land their people have lived on for generations, nor will they manage it effectively, as a local would. The root cause of the current corruption problem in the Northeast is the result of a system imported from China proper. Any effective reform and improvement of the bureaucratic system must be based on the premise of having autonomy.