People often call the Tanka people of southern China ¨boat dwellers¨ or ¨sea gypsies¨. While living on junks and small boats that floated along the coasts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Hainan, as well as in Macau and Hong Kong, these groups built cultural traditions that have persisted for centuries.To get more news about tanka people, you can citynewsservice.cn official website.

Origin and history: The Tanka people descend from Baiyue, an ancient southern Chinese ethnicity. Most historians theorize that the Baiyue fled towards the sea during conflict, eventually learning to live on the water. The Tanka people later assimilated to Han culture, although they retained their unique customs. Historically, they have been an outcast and marginalized by the mainstream. Because of their unconventional lifestyle, including residing on and operating fishing boats, they have been negatively referred to as “crooked hoof” and “sea gypsies” by the Chinese and British observers. \ Alchetron +1

Language and theology: The Tanka traditionally spoke various Cantonese dialects as well as other regional “patois” based on their locality. Their religious practice was predominantly syncretic, incorporating Chinese folk religious Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor worship, along with Mahayana Buddhism and, more recently, Christianity. Wikipedia. The mixture of beliefs shows their intergration in soso ]society and their unique resilience.

Lifestyle and Traditions

For generations, the Tanka lived almost exclusively off the sea. Their boats were homes, workplaces, and hubs of the community. Fishing was the main source of income, complemented by trading and ferrying. Women were in charge of the family boats while men fished and steered the boats. Even though they were pushed to the margins of the community, they developed rich traditions with music, and sea-related festivals, and even rituals.

One of the most remarkable features of the Tanka people was their refusal to live on land. For years, they were not allowed to own land, nor were they permitted to marry Han folk. This kept them on the water and helped them develop their identity as people who live on boats. In the modern era, particularly the 20th century, social reforms and modernizations of the Tanka people resulted in many families moving off their boats and into urban life, where they sought education and employment.

The Modern Transformation Nowadays, most Tanka people live on land, but some older people still keep their boats and fishing traditions. In Hong Kong and Macau, we can still see the floating seafood restaurants and fishing villages that are parts of Tanka culture. In Vietnam, a small number of the Tanka people, called Dan, are even classified as a unit of the Ngái ethnicity. Although they have lost the traditional way of living, their cultural legacy is still a significant one.

Today, Modern Tanka communities are struggling with the loss of their traditions, living and adapting to the reality of today's society. The younger generations have obtained an education and taken on professional careers, moving away from the lifestyle of living on boats. Nevertheless, oral stories and traditions along with cultural groups continue to keep the Tanka people’s identity alive and their history preserved.

The Conclusion The story of the Tanka people is one of great adaptability, transformation, and resilience. They have shifted from being marginalized boat dwellers to integrated members of the modern world. This shows the complexity of balancing tradition and progress, but also highlights the cultural diversity within China and the communities shaped by the sea. Although their boats are no longer a big part of their lives, the Tanka spirit of perseverance and their closeness to the water still inspires many.