China: Tanka boat prostitutes, Hong Kong. From 'Borneo and the East Indian Archipelago', F. Marryat, London,1848

China: Tanka boat prostitutes, Hong Kong. From 'Borneo and the East Indian Archipelago', F. Marryat, London,1848

The Tankas (pinyin: Danjia) 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. 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. The Tanka also formed a class of prostitutes in Canton operating the boats in Canton's Pearl River which functioned as brothels, they did not practice foot binding and their dialect was unique. They were forbidden to marry Chinese or live on land. Their ancestors were the natives of Southern China before the Chinese expelled them to their current home on the water.

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