Did The Han Chinese Go Back To Ham (Han)?
Bodie Hodge, M.SC., B.SC., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, February 19, 2025
I’ve been surprised how many times this question has come up
over the years. I dealt with this subject ever so briefly in the book the Tower of Babel. In retrospect, I should have spent more time on the subject because of
its complexity.
Today, there are about 30 different ethnic groups within
China's borders. The name "Han" is historically tied to the Han
Kingdom, which gained prominence when Liu Bang’s regional power overtook
the Qin Dynasty. This aspect of history is well-known, and the long-lasting
popularity of the Han Dynasty had further propagated the name. This history is not
being disputed.
However, Liu Bang’s rise to power occurred around 200–300
BC, while the regional name "Han" predates his era significantly.
This is where other historical records and Scripture become relevant.
For example, among China’s thirty or so ethnic groups, the
Miao (or Miautso) people trace China’s earliest history to “Lo Han” and “Lo
Shen,” who were sons of Nuah (Noah) and survived the Flood.[1]
This corresponds to Ham and Shem—two of Noah’s sons. However, the Miao did not
claim descent from either of these two lineages; instead, they claimed descent
from another son of Nuah, Jahphu, and his son, Go-men, aligning with Japheth
and his son Gomer.[2]
According to Miao history, they later intermingled with the
Chinese.[3]
This suggests an ancient historical link between the name "Han" and some
of the early Chinese people, one that predates Liu Bang by nearly 2,000 years. With
little reservation, it is reasonable to associate this name and region (a
common practice worldwide) with an actual ancestral figure—specifically, Lo Han
(Ham).
For example, names like Mizraim (Genesis 10:6) and Javan
(Genesis 10:2) remain the Hebrew names for Egypt and Greece, respectively,
named after their ancestral founders who came from Babel. It is remarkable to
see such names, including "Han," preserved down through the ages
still used as a region and family name.
Moreover, there is a biblical connection between the Chinese
and a particular grandson of Ham. In Isaiah 49:12, written around 700 BC in the
land of Israel, is a mention of the land of “Sinim” which is in the far east and
south—but the Sinites had already migrated away from the southern sites by this
time.
This term is a variant of the “Sinites” found in Genesis 10:15–17. Many commentators, such as John Gill, John Trapp, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, along with historians like Ptolemy and Junius, associate “Sinim” with China.[4] This connection further supports the link between the ancient Chinese and Ham, or local Chinese name “Han” as referenced by the Miao and other historical records.
Of course, some Sinites lived for a time in the southern
sites called the wilderness of Sin, around Mt. Sinai, and Sinai Peninsula, but
had largely migrated out by the time of Moses and the wanderings. But the names
were still there reflecting their history.
Even in modern times, variations of the name Sinite has
persisted in associations with China, as seen in terms like the Sino-Japanese
War (1894–1895) and the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), which became part
of World War II. This connection serves as a powerful reminder of China’s
ancient ties to Babel and its early history. China’s history is truly
remarkable.
With all this, there are indeed compelling biblical and
historical reasons, both within and beyond China, to link "Han" with
"Ham," highlighting the ancient roots of Chinese civilization. The
name Han is an ancient one, far more ancient than most realize going back to
early ancient China.
[1]
Edgar Traux, Genesis According to the Miao People, ICR Acts and Facts,
April 1, 1991, https://www.icr.org/article/genesis-according-miao-people/.
[2]
Ibid.
[3]
Ibid.
[4]
See their respective commentaries on Isaiah 49:12. Ptolemy and Junius’s views
are mentioned in these commentaries.
