Punti
Encyclopedia
The Punti, a rough transliteration of the Cantonese term for "original locality," refers to the Cantonese-speaking populations of Guangdong
province in southern China. They are contrasted with another Han Chinese
linguistic group, the Hakka
, which settled in the area after the Punti peoples and follow different cultural traditions.
ethnicity migrated from north to south of the Yangtze River
during the war and upheavals of the Southern and Northern Dynasties
, the Jurchen-Khitan Wars, the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty
, the Mongol conquest of the Jurchen Jin Dynasty and finally the Southern Song Dynasty pushed generations of refugees into the area including the descendants of the Chinese patriotic leader Wen Tianxiang
. The "Great Five Clans" — the Hau (侯), Tang
(鄧), Pang
(彭), Liu
(廖), and Man (文) — were among the earliest recorded familial settlers of Hong Kong. Despite the immigration and light development of agriculture, the area was still relatively barren and had to rely on salt
, pearl
and fishery trades.
peoples, concentrated mainly in the County of Xinning (present day the City of Taishan
).
; it is a transliteration of Cantonese 'Boon Dei' meaning 'local'. When a defendant is using 'Punti' in court, that means he elects to use Cantonese as the language in trial
instead of English. Despite the reference of "Punti" in this context means nothing much more than "Cantonese" as a spoken language and the Hong Kong variation of the language
, there are political and practical reasons of not using direct reference to the word "Cantonese".
Practically, "Cantonese" can be used to mean all the dialects in Guangdong
Province, and the Cantonese spoken in Guangzhou
, Canton dialect, is actually a bit different both in accent and vocabulary than that in Hong Kong.
Nonetheless, the difference is becoming less significant as the Guangdong province is becoming more and more influenced by Hong Kong culture and linguistic, thanks to the wide Hong Kong television coverage in Southern China
. Further, the influx of immigrants and visitors from Guangdong also means their use of vocabulary finds its way to daily Hong Kong usage.
The place of origin of the Punti is Bao'an
, Guangdong, a former county that encompassed what is now Hong Kong
and Shenzhen
, China.
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
province in southern China. They are contrasted with another Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
linguistic group, the Hakka
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
, which settled in the area after the Punti peoples and follow different cultural traditions.
History
It is both documented and generally viewed to various extent that mass exodus of largely the people of Han ChineseHan Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
ethnicity migrated from north to south of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
during the war and upheavals of the Southern and Northern Dynasties
Southern and Northern Dynasties
The Southern and Northern Dynasties was a period in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589 AD. Though an age of civil war and political chaos, it was also a time of flourishing arts and culture, advancement in technology, and the spreading of Mahayana Buddhism and Daoism...
, the Jurchen-Khitan Wars, the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, the Mongol conquest of the Jurchen Jin Dynasty and finally the Southern Song Dynasty pushed generations of refugees into the area including the descendants of the Chinese patriotic leader Wen Tianxiang
Wen Tianxiang
Wen Tianxiang , Duke of Xinguo, was a scholar-general in the last years of the Southern Song Dynasty. For his resistance to Kublai Khan's invasion of the Song, and for his refusal to yield to the Yuan Dynasty despite being captured and tortured, he is a popular symbol of patriotism and...
. The "Great Five Clans" — the Hau (侯), Tang
Tang Clan
The Tang Clan is one of the Great Five Clans of Hong Kong. The others are Man , Hau , Pang and Liu . The Tangs originated from Jishui of Jiangxi province and are considered to be native Hong Kong people, as they were the first immigrants to settle in what is now Hong Kong from what is now...
(鄧), Pang
Peng (surname)
Peng is a common Chinese family name, ranking 35th most common in 2006. Alternate Romanizations include Pang , Phang and Bành ....
(彭), Liu
Liao
Liao can mean:* Liao Dynasty , a former dynasty in northern China founded by the Khitan people**Northern Liao , state founded by the Khitans in northern China...
(廖), and Man (文) — were among the earliest recorded familial settlers of Hong Kong. Despite the immigration and light development of agriculture, the area was still relatively barren and had to rely on salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
, pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
and fishery trades.
Punti-Hakka Clan Wars
From 1854 to 1867 there were a series of battles between the Punti and HakkaHakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
peoples, concentrated mainly in the County of Xinning (present day the City of Taishan
Taishan
Taishan is a coastal county-level city in Guangdong Province, China. The city is part of the Greater Taishan Region....
).
Usage in Hong Kong
Punti has become a commonly used word in Hong Kong law courts and other authorities such as the policePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
; it is a transliteration of Cantonese 'Boon Dei' meaning 'local'. When a defendant is using 'Punti' in court, that means he elects to use Cantonese as the language in trial
Trial (law)
In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
instead of English. Despite the reference of "Punti" in this context means nothing much more than "Cantonese" as a spoken language and the Hong Kong variation of the language
Hong Kong Cantonese
Hong Kong Cantonese is a form of Yue Chinese commonly spoken in Hong Kong. Although Hongkongers largely identify this variant of Chinese with the term "Cantonese" , a variety of publications in mainland China describe the variant as Hong Kong speech...
, there are political and practical reasons of not using direct reference to the word "Cantonese".
Practically, "Cantonese" can be used to mean all the dialects in Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
Province, and the Cantonese spoken in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Canton dialect, is actually a bit different both in accent and vocabulary than that in Hong Kong.
Nonetheless, the difference is becoming less significant as the Guangdong province is becoming more and more influenced by Hong Kong culture and linguistic, thanks to the wide Hong Kong television coverage in Southern China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
. Further, the influx of immigrants and visitors from Guangdong also means their use of vocabulary finds its way to daily Hong Kong usage.
The place of origin of the Punti is Bao'an
Bao'an
Bao'an District is one of the seven districts comprising Shenzhen, a major economic city in Guangdong, People's Republic of China. It is one of three districts lying outside the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, alongside Longgang...
, Guangdong, a former county that encompassed what is now Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
, China.
See also
- Agriculture in Hong KongAgriculture in Hong KongAgriculture and Aquaculture in Hong Kong are considered sunset industries. Most agricultural produce is directly imported from the neighbouring mainland China. In 2006 the industry accounts for less than 0.3% of the labor sector. Geographically Hong Kong consists largely of steep, unproductive...
- Hoklo peopleHoklo peopleThe Hoklo people are Han Chinese people whose traditional Ancestral homes are in southern Fujian of South China...
(Hokkien) - TankaTanka (ethnic group)The Tankas or Boat people is a special group of people in Southern China that has traditionally lived on junks in coastal parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan, and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Hong Kong and Macau...
- Great Five Clans
- Cantonese peopleCantonese peopleThe Cantonese people are Han people whose ancestral homes are in Guangdong, China. The term "Cantonese people" would then be synonymous with the Bun Dei sub-ethnic group, and is sometimes known as Gwong Fu Jan for this narrower definition...
- Punti-Hakka Clan WarsPunti-Hakka Clan WarsPunti–Hakka Clan Wars or Hakka–Punti Clan Wars refer to the conflict between the Hakka and Punti in Guangdong, China between 1855 and 1867. The wars were particularly fierce in around the Pearl River Delta, especially in Taishan of the Sze Yup counties...