Let me add a bit more context here: strictly speaking, while the Jurchen language of the Jin Dynasty and the Manchu language of the Qing Dynasty share the same roots—both originating from the Sushen-Mohe languages and belonging to the Tungusic branch of the Altaic family—they aren’t exactly the same thing.
Although there aren’t many Manchu speakers left today (mostly scholars specializing in Qing history), it’s still a language you can systematically learn. However, spoken Jurchen in the strict sense is pretty much impossible to fully reconstruct. We actually rely on the Nüzhen Yiyu, compiled during the Ming Dynasty, for what we know about ancient Jurchen.
As for the writing systems, they are completely different. Jurchen script was modeled after Chinese characters and the Khitan script, whereas Manchu borrowed the Mongolian alphabet centuries later. Jurchen script was used from 1119 to 1234 (and basically went extinct during the Mongol conquests), while Manchu has been in use from 1599 to the present day.
Here are some pics for reference. The first one shows 13th-century Jurchen script, while the second is 17th-century Manchu. You’ll notice they look vastly different.
As for the claim that China is trying to “incorporate” the history of other Asian ethnic groups… well, I have to say, this is an incredibly complex historical legacy.
You have to remember that, to this day, China isn’t a nation-state in the strict Westphalian sense. The system it inherited from the Central Empire is actually closer to ancient Rome. The Chinese Emperor was nominally the ruler of the entire world (back when people didn’t even know the shape of the Earth). The title was based on divine right, not on being an ethnic leader. Similar states included the Ottoman and Russian Empires before their collapse.
Modern China has inherited this vast territory that integrates so many different ethnic groups. For many people in these remote regions, rather than feeling that Han people “invaded” their land, they historically viewed themselves as subjects of the Chinese Emperor for hundreds or even thousands of years. So, telling them it was an “invasion” would actually confuse them. After all, unlike Koreans—who constructed a modern nation-state under the assistance of external forces including Japan to breaking away from the Chinese Emperor’s ruling system—these groups have a completely different historical trajectory.
So, circling back to the question of what voice lines the Jin Dynasty should use: my suggestion is this—even though Manchu differs quite a bit from historical Jurchen, and true spoken Jurchen is lost to time, using Manchu audio for the Jin would still be a solid option if they have the resources. After all, this is a game, not a rigorous documentary.
That’s exactly what I wanted to say. After all, this is just a game; we don’t need to drag political correctness and ethnic grievances into everything.
Believe it or not, there are actually quite a few players within China who feel a strong aversion to the Jin and Qing dynasties. For thousands of years, tribes from beyond the Great Wall continuously raided Chinese territories and constantly forced Chinese people to shave their heads. To the Han Chinese, hair is precious—adults traditionally don’t cut it, only tying it up into a bun for convenience. The Qing Dynasty builded by Manchu violently enforced this shaving process to Chinese people in the 17th century. That’s why, in the Western imagination, Chinese people are often depicted with that “half-shaved” look.
This history is actually viewed as a humiliation by the Chinese themselves. In terms of traditional appearance, Koreans and Vietnamese are actually closer to the historical Han Chinese image.
But regardless, that is all in the past. I don’t think these historical legacies should affect the friendship between different ethnic groups today. We need to remember history, but we shouldn’t hold onto hatred.
