History

Scholars disagree about the true origins of the Shes. Are they descendants of the ancient Yues? Do they share common ancestry with the Yaos? Most believe that the Shes' ancestors originally lived in the Phoenix Mountains in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province. They left their native place to escape the oppression of their feudal rulers. That's why they called themselves "guests from the mountains."

In their new homes, the Shes were ruled by the central government for the first time in the 7th century, when the Tang court organized prefectures in Zhangzhou and Tingzhou in Fujian Province. Feudal patterns among the Shes were well established by the Song Dynasty (960-1279). At that time, the Shes were planters of rice, tea, sugar cane and ramie.

By the 14th century, many Shes had migrated into the mountain areas in eastern Fujian, southern Zhejiang and northeastern Jiangxi. Although they worked hard alongside Hans, many were impoverished by feudal lords who seized large tracts of land. Others had to work as hired laborers, or fled to find a living. The situation improved under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Some prosperous Shes were picked to govern the rest in the interests of the Ming court.

Throughout history, the Shes struggled against exploitation and oppression imposed by their rulers. During the First Revolutionary Civil War (1924-27), She peasants in eastern Guangdong organized to fight landlords, and similar uprisings sprang up in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. Revolutionary activities exploded in eastern Fujian during the Agrarian Revolution (1927-37), and most of the She areas were under the worker-peasant democratic power. The Shes made great contributions to the Anti-Japanese struggle (1937-45) and in the struggle against the Kuomintang. Most She areas were revolutionary bases during the war for China's liberation in 1949.

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