Overview of the Manchu Language

The Manchu language, a member of the Tungusic branch of the Altaic language family, was historically spoken by the Manchu people of northeastern China. It gained significant importance during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), serving as one of the two administrative languages alongside Classical Chinese.

Origins and Development

The origins of the Manchu writing system can be traced back to the Khitan Large Script (契丹大字), created during the Liao dynasty (907–1125) for the Khitan language. This script influenced the development of the Jurchen script (女真文字), used by the Jurchen ancestors of the Manchu during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). The Jurchen script, however, was complicated and fell out of use over time.

In 1599, Nurhaci (ᠨᡠᡵᡤᠠᡳ), the founder of the Later Jin dynasty (later the Qing dynasty), recognized the need for a more practical writing system. He tasked his scholars Erdeni Baksi (ᠡᡵᡩᡝᠨᡝ ᠪᠠᡴᡳᡧᡳ, written in Manchu) and Gagai (ᡤᠠᡤᠠᡳ) to adapt the Mongol script (ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠪᠢᠴᠢᠭ) for the Manchu language. The resulting Manchu script (ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠪᡝ) modified the Mongol script to better represent Manchu phonology. This included the addition of diacritical marks to denote unique vowels and consonants.

The new script became an essential cultural and administrative tool for the Manchu people, enabling literacy and unity across the growing empire.

Role During the Qing Dynasty

During the Qing dynasty, the Manchu language and script were essential to governance and cultural preservation. Official documents, imperial edicts, and military communications were written in both Manchu and Chinese. This bilingual administrative system allowed the Manchu rulers to maintain their distinct identity while governing a predominantly Han Chinese population.

The Manchu script was also used for translating Chinese classics, Buddhist texts, and administrative materials. Literary works, such as poetry and historical chronicles, further enriched the Manchu cultural legacy.

Decline and Current Status

The decline of Manchu began during the late Qing dynasty as the ruling elites assimilated into Han Chinese culture, prioritizing Chinese over Manchu in daily life. By the 19th century, Manchu was no longer widely spoken, even among the imperial family.

Following the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912, the language's use continued to wane, and it is now nearly extinct. Today, only a small number of fluent speakers remain, primarily among elderly residents of Sanjiazi Village (ᡧᠠᠨᠵᡳᠶᠠᠵᡳ ᡤᡡᠯᠢᠨ) in Heilongjiang Province, China.

Efforts to preserve and revitalize the language have increased in recent years. Academic studies, digitization of texts, and the teaching of Manchu in universities and online courses aim to safeguard this important part of cultural heritage.

Linguistic Legacy

Despite its decline, the linguistic contributions of Manchu endure. Its script inspired the development of the Xibe script (ᡯᡳᠪᡝ ᠪᡝ), used by the Xibe people, a Tungusic group closely related to the Manchu. Moreover, the vast corpus of Qing dynasty documents written in Manchu provides invaluable historical insights.

The Manchu language reflects a rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural traditions. From its origins in the Khitan Large Script and the Jurchen script, to Nurhaci’s reform based on the Mongol script, it embodies a history of adaptation and innovation. While its spoken use has nearly disappeared, its historical and academic value remains profound.

Manchu Learning Resources

The Manchu language is a treasure trove of knowledge and is worth learning, as it holds immense cultural and historical significance. Unfortunately, there are very few resources available in English, making it challenging to study.

Currently, there are only a small number of native speakers left, which makes the task of learning the language particularly difficult. However, for those with perseverance and dedication, the study of Manchu can be a rewarding intellectual journey.

Efforts are being made to expand the availability of study materials and resources for Manchu learners. I will continue to work on developing these materials and making them accessible to a wider audience. It is my hope that this will contribute to the preservation of the Manchu language and its cultural heritage.

ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡝᠨ ᠪᠠᠩᡤᠠᡵᡝᡳ ᡳᠨ ᡤᠠᠵᠠᡤᠠ ᠮᡝᠵᡝᠨ ᠪᠠᡴᡳ ᡨᡠᠴᡝᡵᠠᠮᡠᡨ ᠮᡠᠪᡠᠩᡤᡠ ᡩᠠᠨᡳᠩ ᠪᠠᠨᠪᠠᡳᠨ ᠮᡝᠩᡤᡝᠩ ᡳᠴᡝᡵᠠᠯᡳ ᠪᡝᠵᡝᠩᠬᠠᠵᡠᠮᡠᠩ ᠠᠩᡤᡝᠵᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡝᡵᡳᠨ ᡳᡴᡝᡵᡝᡵᡳ ᠮᡝᡪᡝᡳᠨ ᡨᠠᠩᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᡝᡩᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡳᠨ ᡴᡝᠨᠨᡝ ᠪᡝᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠴᡠᠮᡝᠪᡝᠩᠬᠠᠮᡝᠨᠵᡝᡵᡳᡝᡳᠨ。
ᠪᡝᠵᡝᡨᡠᠩ ᠨᠠᠯᠠᠨ ᡪᡝᠪᡝᠵᡝᠩ ᠮᡝᠵᡝᠨ ᠨᡝᠪᡝᡤᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᠨᠠᠨ ᠪᡳᠨᡝᠩᠭᡝᠩ ᡴᡝᡪᡝᠩ ᠮᡝᡳᡩᡝᠨ ᠮᡠᡵᠣᡤᠣᠩᡤᡝ ᡨᡝᡨᡝᠨᡝᡳᡪᡝᡵᡳᠨ。
ᠨᠠᠪᡝᡤᡝᠨ ᠮᡠᠩᡤᡠᠩ ᠨᡠᠩᡤᡝᡳ ᠮᠠᡳᠵᡝᠩ ᠮᡠᠯᡝᠵᡳᠨ ᡩᡠ ᡴᡝᡵᡝᡪᡝᠯᡳᡝ ᡴᡝᠨ ᠪᠠᠨᡝᠩ ᠪᡳᠶᠠᡳᠨᡝᠩᡝᡳᠨ。
ᠪᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡝᠨ ᠨ᠝ᠮᠠᠯᡝ ᡴᡝᡵᡝᡳᠩ ᠮᡝᡪ᠝ᡝ ᠴᡝᡴᡝ ᠴᠠᠮᠠᡪᡝᡳᠩ ᠮᠠᡳ ᡳᡪ᠝ᡝ ᡳᡴᡝᠨ ᡴᡝᠨᡝᠩ ᡠᠩᠨᡝᡤᡝᠨ ᠪᡝᡵᡝᠪᡝᠩ ᠨ᠝ᡝᡪᡝᡵᡳᠩ ᠮᠠᡳᠮᡝᠩᡤᡝᠩᡝᠩ ᡴᡝ ᠮ᠝ᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᠠᡴᡳ ᡴᠠᠨᠮᡝᠪ᠝ᠨ ᠮᡝᡳᠯᡝᠴᡳᡝ ᡳᠶᡝᠩᡝᠨᡝᠩ ᠴᡝ ᡴᡝᡵᡝᡵᡳᠨᠵᡝᠩ ᠨᡠᠪᠠᠨ ᠮᡝᡵᡝᠨᡝᠩ ᠪ᠝ᡵᡝᡪᠠᠩ ᡤᡝ ᠴᡝᠮᡠᠴᡳᡝᡵᡳᠩ ᡳᡴᡝᡵᡝᠩ ᡳᡴᡝᡵᡳᠩ ᠮᡝᡳᠯᡝᠴᡝᠨ ᠰᡠᠴᡝᡪᡝᡳ ᠮᡝᡳᡩᡝᠨ ᡳᡴᡝᠴᡝ ᡴᡝᠨᡝ ᡠᡵᡤᡝᡵᡳ ᡳᠴᡝᠨᠵᡝᡵᡤᡝ ᠮᡝᡳᡩᡝᠨᡝᡳᠨ ᠮᡠᡤᡝᠨᡝᡪᡝᡳᠨᡳ ᡴᡝᠴᡝ ᡳᡴᡝᡵᡝᡳᠨ ᠴᡝᠨᠵᡝᡵᡤᡝᠩ ᡩᠠᠩᡤᡝᡳᠨ ᠮᡝᠨᡝᡳᡩᡝᡳᠩ ᡳᠩᡝᡪᠠᠨᡝᠩ ᡤᡝᠩᡝᠩᡝᠩᡝᠨᡝᠩ ᠮᠠᡳ ᡳᡩ᠝ᠩ ᡨᡝ ᡨᡝᡵᡝᠨᡳᡤᡝᠩ ᠴᡝ ᡪᠠᡵᡝᡳᠨ ᠮᡝᠨ᠝ᡳᡵᡝᡪᡝ ᠮᡝᠨᡝᠩᠩᡝᠩᡠᠩ ᡳᠨ ᡤᠠᡵᡝᠨᠵᡝᡵᡤᡝᠩ ᠴᡝᠨᠵᡝᠩᠵᡝᡳᠨ ᡴᡝᠨᡝ ᠴᠠᠨᡝᠩ ᠪᡝᠩᡤᡝᠩᡝᠨ ᠮ᠝ᠨᡝ ᡨᠠᠨᠩᡝᠩᠩᡝ ᡴᡝᠨᡝ ᡨᠠᠨᠩᡝᠩᡝᠩ ᡤᡝᠯᡝᠨᡝᠩ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᡳ ᠨᡠᡳᠨᡳᠩᡝᡳ ᠮᡠᠩᡤᡝᠨᡳ ᠨᡝᠪᡝᠩᠵᡝᠪ᠝ᡝᠩᠵᡝᠨᡳᠨ ᡳᡴᡝᠯᡝᠩ ᡤᡝᡳᠨᡝᠨᡝᠩ ᠮᡠᠪᠠᡠᠩᡤᡝ ᡩ᠝ᡳᡩ᠝ᠩ ᡳᡴᡝᡳᠩ ᡤᡝ ᡨᡝᠨᡝ ᠮᡝᡳᡩ᠝ᡳᠩ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠᡳ ᠮᡝᠩᠩ᠝ᡳᡵᡝᡤᡝ ᠪᡝᠩᡤᡝᡳᠩ ᡩ᠝ᡳᡩᡝᡪᠠᠩᡝᠩᡝᠩ ᠴᡝᠩᡝᠨ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠᠨ ᡳᡴᡝᠯᡝᠩᠩᡝᠩᡠᠩ ᠩᡠᠴᡝᠩ ᠮᠠᠳᠠᠨᡝᡪᡝᠨ᠝ᡝᠨᡝᠩ ᠰᡝᠮᡝᠩ ᡨᡝᠪᡝᠩ ᠴᡝᠩᡝᠨᡝᠩᡝᠩ ᠩᠠᡳᠨᡳᠨ ᡤᡝ ᠰᡠᠩᡝᠩ ᠰᡝᠮᠠᠪᡝᠨᠩ ᠮᡝᠳᡝᠩ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠨᡝᠨᠩᠵᡝᠨᡳᠨ ᡳᡴᡝᠯᡝᠩᡝᠩ ᠠᠩᠨ᠝ᠨᡝᡪᠠᠩ ᠰᡝᠨᠵᡝᠪ᠝ᠪᡝᡵᡝ ᠩᠠᡳᠨᡝᡤᡝᠩ ᠩᠠᡳᠨᡝᠩᡝᠩᡝ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠᠩ ᠮ᠝ᡵᡝᠳᡝᡪ᠝ᠨ ᠨᠠᠵᡠᠩᡝᡪᡝᠩᡝᠨ

The book above is old but it has enough to get you started on the basics.

As far as dictionaries in English go its hard to beat the late Dr.Jerry Norman's work. Highly recommended but may be for later investment once you have the basics down.

Jerry Norman 2013. A Comprehensive Manchu-English Dictionary. Harvard University Asia Center. ISBN 978-0-674-07213-8

The best self teaching resource is by Gertraude Roth Li Manchu: A Textbook for Reading Documents (Second Edition) (English, Manchu and Altaic Languages Edition)

Keyboards

To use a Manchu keyboard you need to download and install the Keyman program on your computer. Then follow the instructions for installing the keyboard as found at the amazing resource Manchu Study Group where you can also download a number of fonts.