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The Tankas () or boat people are an ethnic subgroup in Southern China who have traditionally lived on junks in coastal parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan, and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Hong Kong and Macau. Though many now live onshore, some from the older generations still live on their narrow boats and pursue their traditional livelihood of fishing. Historically, the Tankas were considered to be outcasts. Since they were boat people who lived by the sea, they were sometimes referred to as "sea gypsies" by the Chinese and British. Tanka origins can be traced back to the native ethnic minorities of southern China who may have taken refuge on the sea and gradually assimilated into Han culture. However, Tanka have preserved many of their native traditions that are not found in Han Chinese culture. A small number of Tankas also live in parts of Vietnam. There they are called Dan () and are classified as a subgroup of the Ngái ethnicity. ==Note on the term== The term ''Tanka'' is now considered derogatory and no longer in common use.〔Farewell to Peasant China: Rural Urbanization and Social Change in ... - Page 75 Gregory Eliyu Guldin - 1997 "In Dongji hamlet, most villagers were originally shuishangren (boat people) (known in the West by the pejorative label, "Tanka" people. — Ed. ) and settled on land only in the 1950s. Per-capita cultivated land averaged only 1 mu ..."〕 These boat dwellers are now referred to in China as "on-water people" (), or "people of the southern sea" (). No standardized English translation of this term exists. "Boat People" is a commonly used translation, although it may be confused with the similar term that applies to Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. The term "Boat Dwellers" was proposed by Dr. Lee Ho Yin of The University of Hong Kong in 1999, and it has been adopted by the Hong Kong Museum of History for its permanent exhibition.〔(Architectural Conservation Office, HKSAR Government. (2008). ''Heritage Impact Assessment Report of the Yau Ma Tei Theatre & Red Brick Building'', p.5 ). (PDF). Retrieved on 2012-03-02.〕 Both the Tanka and the Cantonese speak the Cantonese language. "Boat people" was a general category for both the Tanka and the Hoklo, who also made their living on boats. They spoke different dialects, and the Hoklo originated from Fujian. The Hoklo used the term Hoklo to refer to themselves, while the name Tanka was used only by Cantonese to describe the Tanka. There were two distinct categories of people based on their way of life, and they were further divided into different groups. The Hakka and Cantonese lived on land; the Tanka and Hoklo lived on boats and were both classified as boat people. The differences between the sea dwelling Tanka and land dwellers were not based merely on their way of life. Cantonese and Hakka who lived on land fished sometimes for a living, but these land fishermen never mixed or married with the Tanka fishermen. Tanka were barred from Cantonese and Hakka celebrations. British reports on Hong Kong described the Tanka and Hoklo living in Hong Kong "since time unknown". The encyclopedia Americana described Hoklo and Tanka as living in Hong Kong "since prehistoric times". 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tanka people」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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