An Beijiang: Civilizational Narrative and Political-Cultural Logic in the Construction of a Community for the Chinese Nation
Building the community for the Chinese nation is an inevitable requirement for achieving the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and a major strategic deployment for the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that we must "continuously advance the building of the community for the Chinese nation," "insist on taking the advancement of the building of the community for the Chinese nation as the main thread of work in border ethnic regions," and "whether issuing laws and regulations or policy measures, all must focus on strengthening the commonality of the Chinese nation and enhancing the sense of community for the Chinese nation." The core of building the community for the Chinese nation lies in deepening the identification of all ethnic groups with the Chinese nation as a community, promoting ethnic unity, maintaining national unification, and achieving common prosperity. Currently, research on the building of the community for the Chinese nation is primarily carried out at the theoretical and practical levels, involving multiple perspectives such as modern state-building, textual interpretation, ethnic relations, territorial space construction, cultural identity, macro-theory, and individual practical cases. However, few results discuss the historical-cultural significance and practical logic of building the community for the Chinese nation.
Building the community for the Chinese nation is a process of continuously enhancing national cohesion on the basis of the "diversity in unity" [1] pattern. Regarding the specific practice of building the community for the Chinese nation, ideological construction is of paramount importance. Taking the "Grand Unity" [2] (da yitong) thought as the logical starting point, this article systematically explains the historical transmutation from the "All-under-Heaven" [3] (tianxia) view to the "Unity" (yitong) view, revealing the political and cultural characteristics of the national community. First, by analyzing the historical logic and ethico-moral dimensions of cultural identity, it demonstrates its role as a spiritual bond in value-cohesion for building the community for the Chinese nation. Second, proceeding from the triple logic of ethnic contact, exchange, and mingling [4], it deeply analyzes the interaction paradigms in the formation and development of the community for the Chinese nation. Third, it examines the evolutionary laws of ethnic contact, exchange, and mingling from a historical dimension, and explores the innovative development mechanisms of ethnic "mutual embedding" [5] from a realistic dimension.
I. The "Grand Unity" Thought: The Ideological Foundation for Building the Community for the Chinese Nation
As a vital political and cultural concept in China, "Grand Unity" serves as the ideological foundation for building the community for the Chinese nation. The thought of Grand Unity is reflected not only in the integration of geographical territory but also across multiple dimensions including political systems, cultural identity, and social order. In the contemporary era, it has been endowed with new connotations of the times, becoming a spiritual bond for maintaining national unification and promoting ethnic unity. Distinct from Western nation-state theories, the Grand Unity thought emphasizes historical continuity and the unity of China, involving major issues such as national identity, national governance, frontier governance, and the development of the Chinese nation. Regarding "historical China," Grand Unity focuses more on state attributes, emphasizing the resolution of national identity issues triggered by territory and ethnic groups. The initial design of Grand Unity emphasized the legitimacy of political power and the rational construction of political order; it was a combination of ideological form and political practice. Capable monarchs of successive dynasties all took Grand Unity as their political goal, though in fact, most did not achieve the magnificent state of unifying "All-under-Heaven." At this level, Grand Unity became a technique of power manipulation for the capable sovereigns of various eras. When the Grand Unity thought was not put into practice, the method of demarcating borders by ethnic group (distinction) was often adopted to proclaim the "distinction between Hua and Yi" [6] (Hua-Yi zhi bian). Grand Unity thus became a composite view of territory aligned with geographical domain, administrative governance, and cultural identity. Consequently, Grand Unity not only became the core paradigm of the traditional Chinese view of territory but also, through the dual paths of institutional construction and ideological integration, gradually established the structural framework of the political community, internalizing into the spiritual core of the sense of community for the Chinese nation during historical evolution.
1. Historical Origins: The Ideological Flux from the "All-under-Heaven" View to the "Unity" View
National unification and political oneness are the mainstream trends of historical development. The ideological flux from the "All-under-Heaven" (tianxia) view to the "Unity" (yitong) view reflects the mutually constitutive evolutionary mode between ancient Chinese political philosophy and the sense of community for the Chinese nation, profoundly revealing the historical logic of the Chinese nation’s "diversity in unity." Its transformative journey reflects both the practical cognition of geographical space and the bidirectional adjustment of cultural identity and political integration. The people of the Zhou Dynasty built a political hierarchy centered on the Son of Heaven through the enfeoffment system, combining geographical space with patriarchal ethics. The Confucianists broke bloodline restrictions and constructed a cultural community through the idealized tianxia achieved by "cultivating civil virtue to attract those afar." [7] Mencius reconstructed the philosophy of the "Way of Governance" (zhengdao) through the idea of "settling in unity," [8] establishing the ethical dimension of royal legitimacy on the basis of "the Mandate of Heaven is not constant" and "the people are the foundation of the state." These three historical turning points jointly forged the composite civilized genes of Grand Unity thought. The Grand Unity thought budded in the Spring and Autumn period and took shape in the Warring States period. The concept of "Grand Unity" in the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, the lines "Under the vast heaven, there is no land which is not the king's; within the borders of those lands, there is none who is not the king’s subject" from the Classic of Poetry, and the thoughts of "The Nine Provinces of Heaven" and "partitioning the state and regulating the wilds" during the Warring States period—all these contain the value pursuit of national unification and political oneness.
During the Qin and Han dynasties, Grand Unity thought gradually became the mainstream ideology. The commandery-county system (junxian) substantiated the tianxia view into an operable administrative system. Dong Zhongshu believed that "The 'Grand Unity' of the Spring and Autumn Annals is the constant principle of Heaven and Earth and the universal truth from ancient times to the present" (Book of Han: Biography of Dong Zhongshu). Along with the unification of tianxia, the dominant status of the Han ethnicity became increasingly prominent. The Central Plains regime, with the Han ethnicity as its mainstay, occupied fertile lands and possessed a large population; its levels of productive forces and cultural development were superior to those of surrounding ethnic groups, gradually forming a "historical whirlpool." Therefore, the Huaxia ethnic group centered on the Han ethnicity became the embryonic form of the subsequent "diversity in unity" pattern. The high maturity of Central Plains culture created a "longing for the Huaxia" (muhua) sentiment among surrounding ethnic groups. The Han Dynasty "dismissed the hundred schools of thought and revered only Confucianism," elevating Confucian thought to the core value system of the Grand Unity regime. This ideology not only became the model for the ideological orthodoxy of successive dynasties but also the cultural foundation for the distinction between "Yi" and "Xia," used by dynasties to "moisten the four quarters with virtue and civilize the Yi and Di." [9] The institutional innovations of "Hu-Han integration" [10] during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties accelerated the "Sinicization" (Huaxia-hua) process of frontier ethnic regimes. The imperial examination system of the Sui and Tang and the "North and South Face" dual governance systems of the Liao and Jin broke the monopoly of the great clans and deepened the "diversity in unity" pattern. This fully proves that the formation of the community for the Chinese nation was not a simple cultural assimilation or military conquest, but a process of achieving political integration while maintaining cultural diversity through continuous value reconstruction and institutional innovation. In short, Grand Unity thought became one of the important ideological foundations for maintaining the centralized multi-ethnic state.
2. Institutional Resilience: The Dialectics of Governance in Dynamic Equilibrium
In the dimension of historical practice, China’s historical practice of Grand Unity is by no means a simple history of territorial expansion, but an evolutionary history of solving civilization governance problems through institutional innovation. Successive dynasties constructed a "Chinese paradigm" for multi-ethnic state governance through the iterative evolution of governance methods. The practice of Grand Unity began with the commandery-county system reforms of the Qin and, after the ideological integration of the Han, formed an institutional framework of "standardized gauges for carriages, a unified script for writing, uniform weights and measures, and shared ethical norms." The Qin commandery-county system broke through the shackles of the feudal patriarchal system to create a vertical management system of "Central—Commandery/County—Township/Village." The Grand Unity of the Han at the ideological and practical levels shaped a governance community from four dimensions—geographical units, cultural symbols, economic foundations, and social norms—constituting the four pillars of the "Grand Unity" governance model in ancient China. Specifically, standardized gauges broke geographical barriers, the unified script solved the problem of information asymmetry, the innovation of weights and measures laid a common economic foundation, and ethical integration created a consensus on values. The Qin and Han systems had a profound impact on later generations; many regimes underwent flexible institutional reforms under the influence of Grand Unity thought. The jimi (loose rein) system of the Tang resolved frontier centrifugal forces by "governing according to local customs"; the province system (xing sheng) of the Yuan broke the inertia of geographical separatism through "interlocking dog teeth" [11] boundaries; and the "replacing local headmen with appointed officials" (gaitu guiliu) of the Qing achieved the integration of frontiers into the interior through "gradual substitution." These institutional designs broke the limitations of pure military conquest. Simultaneously, through the imperial examination system, elite selection shifted from clan monopoly to knowledge competition. The bureaucratic system and legal codes built a governance network spanning regions and ethnic groups, forming norms of order that transcended locality. The process of continuously improving institutional design and governance systems is also the process by which the building of the community for the Chinese nation has endured through self-adjustment. In other words, the manifestation of Grand Unity at the level of institutions and governance is the dialectical unity of institutional resilience and cultural vitality. The dynamic balance between the two is mainly constructed through "innovation and inheritance" (yinge sunyi) to build a continuous pedigree of institutional evolution, achieving a paradigm shift from instrumental rationality to value rationality within a legal-ritual embedded framework and a value consensus of "cultivating the self, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world." Through the bidirectional interaction of institutional supply and cultural identity, the spatial integration of the political community and the sublimation of Chinese civilization's governance wisdom were completed.
3. Forging through Practice: A Political-Cultural Community Beyond Ethnicity
Grand Unity is not merely political unity, but more importantly, the unity of thought and culture. The spatial governance system of Grand Unity constructed during the Qin and Han dynasties, through the combination of the commandery-county system and bureaucracy, formed a multi-level administrative control network, laying the structural foundation for the continuity of the community for the Chinese nation. Dong Zhongshu’s theory of "Interaction between Heaven and Mankind" (tianren ganying) constructed a cosmic hermeneutic that integrated Yin-Yang and the Five Elements with Confucian ethics; this provided a metaphysical philosophical basis for imperial rule while forming a mechanism for "warnings through natural disasters" to constrain imperial power. Sima Qian’s historical narrative framework of "exploring the frontier between Heaven and Mankind and understanding the changes from ancient to modern times" not only established the writing paradigm for the continuity of Chinese civilization but also shaped, in the temporal dimension, the consciousness of institutional inheritance described as "the government of the hundred generations all follows the Qin system." These three dimensions of civilizational construction—the institutional rigidity of spatial governance, the philosophical speculation of the interaction between Heaven and man, and the historical consciousness of continuity through change—jointly constitute the core paradigm of the evolution of Chinese civilization, completing the creative transformation of previous political and cultural heritage at the levels of political practice and civilizational concepts.
Regardless of whether in times of dynastic unity or fragmentation, the unification of tianxia remained the political ambition of regime founders. As Fu Jian of the Former Qin said after unifying the north: "I have inherited the great undertaking for nearly twenty years... only the southeast corner has not yet submitted to the king’s civilizing influence. Whenever I think of the world not being one, I often stop eating in the middle of a meal" (Book of Jin: Record of Fu Jian). The Sui and Tang ended over 300 years of political division. Emperor Taizong of Tang broke the inherent thought that "those who are not of our kin must have a different heart" [12] and engaged in sincere exchanges with frontier ethnic groups. In the ninth year of Wude (626 AD), he braved public dissent, arguing that "a king views the four seas as one family; within the borders, all are my children" (Zizhi Tongjian: Tang Record 8). In the first year of Zhenguan (627 AD), he said, "I take the whole world as my home." In the eighteenth year of Zhenguan (644 AD), he pointed out: "The Yi and Di are also human; their feelings are no different from those in the Central Realm. A ruler should only worry if his virtue and grace do not reach them; he need not be suspicious of different kinds. If virtue and grace flow, the four Yi can be made as one family; if there is much suspicion, even blood relatives cannot avoid becoming enemies" (Zizhi Tongjian: Tang Record 13). He believed that frontier ethnic groups and the Huaxia people were the same, and a monarch should win the world with virtue rather than harboring reckless suspicion that breeds hatred between brotherly ethnic groups. He viewed "Yi-Di" and "Zhonghua" as one family, declaring: "Since ancient times, all have valued the Zhonghua and slighted the Yi and Di; I alone love them as one" (Zizhi Tongjian: Tang Record 14), articulating the concept of "China as one family" (Zhonghua yijia). The Yuan Dynasty achieved Grand Unity once again; the frontier political forces of the Tang and Song eras were replaced in the Yuan by the direct application of the province system or the tusi (native chieftain) system. The Yongzheng Emperor of the Qing believed that China's Grand Unity began with the Qin, the unification of China by tribes from beyond the passes began with the Yuan, and reached its zenith in the Qing. "Our dynasty laid its foundation on the shores of the Eastern Sea, unified various states, and ruled over the world. The lineage we have inherited is the lineage of 'one family of inside and outside' since the time of Yao and Shun; the people we employ... are the people of 'one family of inside and outside'; the governance we carry out... is the governance of 'one family of inside and outside'" (Veritable Records of the Qing: Veritable Records of Shizong). Since the dawn of the modern era, the national consciousness of the Chinese nation surged during the struggle against imperialism and feudalism, and its national cohesion strengthened, gradually transforming from a "nation-in-itself" (zizai) into a "nation-for-itself" (zijue).
4. Political Efficacy: The Paradigm of the "Civilizational State" in Diversity in Unity
The political tradition of Grand Unity and the civilizational pattern of "diversity in unity" jointly constitute the Chinese "civilizational state" paradigm. Grand Unity thought, through the practice of a centralized administrative system, forms a form of ultra-large-scale state governance; the "diversity in unity" civilizational pattern, through the interaction between agriculture and nomadism, Central Plains and frontiers, and Huaxia and outlying groups, eventually formed the characteristic of a "Cultural China" that is civilizational and inclusive. The political efficacy of integration provides the institutional guarantee for civilizational exchange and mingling, while the inclusiveness of civilizational forms dissolves the tension between regions and ethnic groups.
Grand Unity thought is an important code for the Chinese nation's long-lasting vitality and is the logical main thread of the Chinese nation's historical development. Concepts such as Great Harmony (datong), Harmony (hehe), and Republicanism (gonghe) are all extensions of Grand Unity thought. Throughout the historical process, Grand Unity thought has always played a role in maintaining social stability and ethnic unity. The core essence of Grand Unity is the pursuit of political unification; in practice, people do not reject one another because of the identity of the regime's founder, but rather reach a political consensus under certain cultural standards, forming national cohesion.
“No matter which ethnic group entered and ruled the Central Plains [13], they all took the unification of the world as their own responsibility and regarded themselves as the orthodox heirs of Chinese culture.” During the Wei, Jin, Southern, and Northern Dynasties [14], after northern ethnic regimes vied for hegemony in “China,” they began to adopt era names and declare themselves emperors. They believed the regimes they established represented the legitimate succession of Chinese dynasties and competed for the “orthodoxy” (正统) of China. After the “Disorder of Yongjia” [15], Liu Yuan, the founder of the Han-Zhao state, styled himself the successor of the Han Dynasty. Hoisting the banner of universal orthodoxy, he declared: “How can positions of emperors and kings be fixed constants? Great Yu came from the Western Rong and King Wen was born among the Eastern Yi; it is only a matter of to whom virtue is granted... Furthermore, I am a nephew of the Han clan and we have agreed to be brothers. If the elder brother perishes and the younger succeeds, is this not fitting? Thus, we may call ourselves ‘Han’ and offer posthumous honors to the Last Emperor to satisfy the hopes of the people” (Book of Jin: Biography of Liu Yuanhai). Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei, Tuoba Hong, moved the capital to Luoyang and implemented “Han-ification” (汉化) policies, which became an important milestone in practicing Great Unity (大一统). By the era of the Song, Liao, Western Xia, and Jin, both the Khitan Liao and Jurchen Jin referred to themselves as “China.” Yelü Abaoji styled himself the orthodox heir to the political legacy of the Great Tang. Yuanhao, the founder of the Western Xia regime, called himself “Wuzu” even before declaring himself emperor—a title equivalent to the Son of Heaven in the Central Plains. He referred to the Chinese Son of Heaven as the “Yellow Son of Heaven” and himself as the “Blue Son of Heaven”: “At that time, Yuanhao had called himself Wuzu for several years. Wuzu, in the language of Cathay, means Blue Son of Heaven, while China is called the Yellow Son of Heaven” (Extended Continuation to the Zizhi Tongjian). To forge political legitimacy, the Tangut royal family claimed the Tuoba clan of the Northern Wei as their ancestors: “My ancestors originally held the old state of Emperor Helian of the Later Wei; it was the legacy of the Tuoba” (Extended Continuation to the Zizhi Tongjian). After the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, they not only adopted Han-style era names but also followed the Han system in establishing the Imperial Ancestral Temple, creating temple names and posthumous titles for previous Mongolian rulers, thereby inheriting the ritual system traditions of the Central Plains dynasties.
It is evident that the construction of state order in dynastic regimes has always included pioneering acts of emulating Han systems and practicing the ideology of Great Unity. The integrity of historical development and the reconstruction of state order are intertwined. Concepts such as “unifying the universe,” “heaven has no two suns, and the land has no two kings,” “within the four seas all are one family,” “merging the six directions,” “harmonizing the internal and external,” and “the world settled in oneness” share a single lineage with forging the sense of community for the Chinese nation. The construction of the Chinese national community is a modern transformation of traditional governance wisdom. The ideology of Great Unity has exerted a profound psychological influence on the Chinese people; it has not only forged an identification among all ethnic groups that political stability takes precedence over other factors but has also become the most reliable source of political culture for modern nationalism. Great Unity is the most effective model for economizing the costs of governance, transforming “China” into a multi-ethnic community identified with by the majority. The ideology of Great Unity provides a theoretical and practical paradigm for the long-term peace and stability of a multi-ethnic civilization-state and offers Chinese experience for the dialogue of civilizations in the era of economic globalization.
II. Cultural Identity: The Ideological Core of Constructing the Chinese National Community
The term “identity” originally belonged to the ontological discussion of classical philosophy and was later expanded by psychology before being widely applied across various disciplines. Its connotation mainly refers to the cognitive and emotional attachment of social members to a certain group belonging. Identity is divided into national identity, political identity, ethnic identity, and cultural identity, among which national identity is the highest level of identity. The essence of national identity is political identity. The construction of the Chinese national community is centrally manifested in two aspects: First, consolidating the foundation of political identity and forging a shared political sentiment. As the American scholar David Easton put it, no matter how many differences exist in customs, religion, socio-economic status, or nationality, to the extent that a sense of political community exists—since they participate in the same public political unit—members will possess mutual sympathy and loyalty. Shared political sentiment mainly refers to the emotional bond formed among members in a society or political community through shared history, culture, social morality, and value goals. In other words, the basis of political sentiment is historical memory and cultural identity. Therefore, cultivating and consolidating the foundation of historical and cultural identity is a logical necessity for constructing a modern national identity system. Second, improving the political integration mechanism of “plurality-and-unity” (多元一体). For a multi-ethnic state, national identity and various ethnic identities coexist. How to handle the tension between national unity and ethnic diversity is a major issue in the political construction of the Chinese national community. Realizing the dialectical unity of national unity and ethnic diversity through institutional innovation is a key proposition for the modernization of ethnic affairs governance in the New Era.
- The Historical Logic of Cultural Identity
Culture is the fundamental attribute of a nation, the basis upon which people coalesce into a national community, and an important condition for “the people” (民) to become an “ethnic group” (族). It reflects the history and future of a nation. Identity is the prerequisite for cohesion and the foundation of unity. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “To strengthen the great unity of the Chinese nation, the long-term and fundamental task is to enhance cultural identity.” Cultural identity refers to the process by which different individuals or groups seek and recognize a common culture, representing their sense of belonging to that culture. The sense of community for the Chinese nation is essentially the result of historical and cultural identity. Cultural identity is the deepest level of identity, the top priority in building the community’s ideology, and the soul of achieving unity and harmony for the Chinese nation.
Cultural identity in Chinese history is closely related to the traditional ideology of Great Unity. Cultural identity was also the cornerstone of dynastic establishment, social harmony, and ethnic unity throughout the ages. Looking across Chinese history, especially when a regime unified the world, the people's views on the state, territory, and ethnicity appeared relatively peaceful. Conversely, during times of political division or external shocks, ethnic consciousness and state views became particularly intense, with even territorial boundaries clearly demarcated. At such times, ethnic consciousness rose entirely to a community consciousness of shared destiny, facing life and death together. The sense of community for the Chinese nation is precisely the intellectual result of the dual effects of internal historical-cultural identity and external political crises. To strengthen ethnic unity, build a shared spiritual home, and foster community consciousness, the most long-term and fundamental task is to enhance the recognition of Chinese culture among all ethnic groups.
During historical periods, cultural identity for frontier ethnic groups was reflected not only in shaping the legitimacy of their own regimes but even more so in the civilizational narrative of historical writing and the cultural sense of belonging defined by the “Four Barbarians” [16] gradually “admiring the Chinese style” (华风). For example, Sima Qian’s construction of the early imperial lineage and his tracing of the ethnic ancestry of the Xiongnu, Southern Chu, and Southwestern Yi—as well as the frontier ethnic groups during the Sixteen Kingdoms period [17] seeking their roots in Huaxia—demonstrate this. For instance, Fu Hong of the Di people (Former Qin) and the Yao clan of the Qiang people (Later Qin) respectively identified their ancestors as the descendants of the Youhu and Youyu clans (Book of Jin: Biography of Fu Hong; Book of Jin: Biography of Yao Yizhong). These narratives all reflect the identification of frontier ethnic groups with “China” or “Huaxia Civilization.” Under the centripetal force of Confucian culture, the rulers and ministers of peripheral ethnic regimes took the initiative to learn and emulate Central Plains culture. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Liu Yuan, who established the Han state, proactively studied the Mao Poetry, Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, and the Art of War by Sun and Wu. His son, Liu Cong, was well-versed in the classics and history from a young age, skilled in cursive script, and adept at composition. The Jie people’s Shi clan of the Later Zhao, the Xianbei Murong clan of the various Yan states, and the Di people’s Fu clan of the Former Qin all associated widely with Confucian scholars, promoted the study of the classics and Confucianism, developed a refined taste for literature, were diligent in lecturing, and were skilled in astronomy. The study of Confucianism by northern rulers and ministers not only improved the cultural quality of their own groups but also stimulated their national consciousness. Rulers of the Liao, Jin, and Western Xia highly esteemed Confucian thought. For instance, the Khitan Yelü Abaoji respected Confucius and honored Confucianism, once issuing an edict for the “Crown Prince to perform the seasonal sacrifices to Confucius” (History of Liao: Biography of Prince Bei). Emperor Renxiao of the Western Xia directly honored Confucius as the “Emperor of Literary Propagation” (History of Song: Account of the Xia State). The Yuan Dynasty granted Confucius the title “Great Completer, Ultimate Sage, and King of Literary Propagation” (History of Yuan: Annals of Emperor Wuzong), and the Qing Dynasty titled him “Great Completer, Ultimate Sage, and First Teacher of Literary Propagation” (Draft History of Qing: Annals of Emperor Shizu), calling him the “Model Teacher for Ten Thousand Generations” (Draft History of Qing: Annals of Emperor Shengzu), and allowed his descendants to inherit noble titles. During the Yuan and Qing periods, mainstream thought remained focused on Confucianism, regardless of ethnicity or region, adhering to the principle of “one way and the same tracks” (一道同轨).
From the cultural infiltration of “gradually admiring the Chinese style” to the interactive fusion of “Chinese and Barbarians sharing the same customs” (华夷同风), and finally forming the Chinese national community identity within the context of the modern nation-state—this historical trajectory profoundly reflects the evolutionary logic of China’s “plurality-and-unity” pattern.
- The Ethical and Moral Outlook of Cultural Identity
Fine traditional Chinese culture is the foundation of cultural identity, while cultural self-awareness is a powerful guarantee for forging the sense of community for the Chinese nation. Chinese culture is a culture centered on ethics and morality. After the Han Dynasty, under the influence of Buddhist culture which advocated world-transcendence, Confucian culture, which advocated world-engagement, further highlighted its aspect of the “three cardinal guides and five constant virtues” (纲常礼教) [18]. Compared with Western traditional rational culture, Chinese culture emphasizes human values, reflecting on how to conduct oneself and how to achieve harmony between man and nature, and between man and society. The cultural thoughts of the Axial Age, especially Confucianism and Taoism, became the general keynote of traditional Chinese culture. These moral ethics were both embedded in the feudal patriarchal system and permeated the Chinese people's cosmology, worldview, outlook on life, and epistemology.
Concepts such as “the unity of heaven and man” (天人合一), “interaction between heaven and man” (天人感应), and “perfecting the way of heaven and earth to assist in their proper order” integrate morality, epistemology, and the theory of knowledge. These concepts manifest the inclusiveness of Chinese culture: first, the eclectic absorption of external cultures; second, the massive integration of various domestic ethnic cultures. Among these, eclectic absorption is mainly reflected in cultural acculturation—the digestion and absorption of foreign cultures to make them organic components of Chinese culture, thereby enriching its connotation, such as the Sinicization of Buddhism and the formation of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism. Cultural integration is mainly reflected in cultural fusion—incorporating other ethnic cultures within China on the basis of Huaxia (Han) culture, eventually forming three types of culture: first, based on geographical direction, such as Northern culture, Jiangnan culture, Central Plains culture, Western Regions culture, Guandong culture, and Western culture; second, based on the geographical environment, such as continental culture, maritime culture, Yellow River culture, Yangtze River culture, grassland culture, plateau culture, canal culture, and oasis culture; third, based on administrative divisions, such as Qilu culture, Huizhou culture, Wuyue culture, Lingnan culture, Bashu culture, Guanlong culture, Qinghai-Tibet culture, and Bagui culture. Through dissemination and exchange, these cultures learned from one another's strengths while displaying their own unique characteristics, eventually forming a singular cultural form. The inclusive and cohesive nature of fine traditional Chinese culture created a harmonious and relaxed environment for ethnic interactions, exchanges, and blending, encouraging and promoting deep-level interaction and fusion.
The moral ideas, spiritual concepts, and ideological-cultural core contained in fine traditional Chinese culture have lasted for thousands of years and continue to influence the present. Concepts such as “harmony in diversity,” “the people as my siblings and all things as my kin” (民胞物与) [19], “harmony among all nations,” and “Great Harmony under Heaven” exert a centripetal force in shaping the plurality-and-unity pattern of the Chinese nation. Fine traditional Chinese culture, marked by the ideas of “harmony” (和合) and “Great Unity,” contains thoughts of a national community and demonstrates the value pursuit of all ethnic groups for that community. These intellectual essences, spanning time and space, have been deeply planted in the spiritual bloodline of the Chinese nation through intergenerational transmission, forming the cultural genes of the sense of community for the Chinese nation. China’s special geographical environment created a typical inland agricultural civilization; the psychology of “all things as one body” and “attaining virtue in harmony with heaven” forged the side of traditional culture that prizes harmony. The concept of harmony was further elevated to the height of “great virtue carrying all things,” “harmony without uniformity,” and “the Golden Mean prizing harmony,” melting into the fundamental spirit of the Chinese nation. The concepts of “unity” and “harmony” have undoubtedly become the spiritual core for maintaining ethnic unity, national unification, and cultural prosperity; their “inward cohesion” fully embodies the common psychological quality of the Chinese nation. Persisting in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture precisely leverages the open, inclusive, and cohesive characteristics of Chinese culture. Only through this “combination” can the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture be achieved, and the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism be realized. Only through this “combination” can the problem of Marxism taking root in China be better solved, while simultaneously providing new paths and methods for the transformation of fine traditional Chinese culture.
The fundamental value of culture is mainly reflected in its ideality, which contains rich philosophical thoughts, humanistic spirit, value concepts, and moral norms. Promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture means revealing the cultural spirit, cultural breadth, and cultural confidence of the Chinese nation. Excavating the historical facts of “Great Unity” is not to avoid historical contradictions, but to correct erroneous historical views. To strengthen cultural identity is to guide people to establish correct views of history, the state, ethnicity, and culture; to continuously consolidate the identification of all ethnic groups with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and to forge the sense of community for the Chinese nation.
III. Ethnic Interaction, Exchange, and Blending: The Practical Logic of Constructing the Chinese National Community
Interaction, exchange, and blending among ethnic groups constitute a vital component of the Party’s efforts to strengthen and improve ethnic work in the New Era. It serves as the practical main line for the construction of the community for the Chinese nation, profoundly revealing the laws governing the development of ethnic relations in our country and the evolutionary trends of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that promoting extensive interaction, exchange, and blending among all ethnic groups is a crucial path toward advancing the construction of the community for the Chinese nation. Historically, the interaction, exchange, and blending of various ethnic groups have never ceased. Even in its weakest moments, the Chinese nation did not fall apart, sustained by the shared conviction that our national territory is inseparable, our ethnic groups are non-dispersible, and our civilization is uninterruptible.
1. The Theoretical Logic of Interaction, Exchange, and Blending Among Ethnic Groups
The theory of ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending represents a succession and development of Marxist ethnic theory. It is both a summation of the characteristics and trends of contemporary ethnic relations and a new approach to promoting ethnic unity, progress, and common prosperity. It serves to dissolve contradictions and conflicts in the realm of ethnic affairs and to resist ethnic separatism, the fragmentation of ethnic identity, and ethnic discrimination. Marx and Engels maintained that "social structure and the state are continually evolving out of the life-process of definite individuals," and that "the rhythm of the relationship between productive forces and the form of intercourse is the relationship of the form of intercourse to the occupation or activity of the individuals." It can be said that the intercourse between man and nature, and among human beings themselves, promoted the formation and development of the state. Similarly, the construction of the community for the Chinese nation requires these forms of intercourse.
In defining "nation/ethnicity" (minzu), classical Marxist writers pointed out that the nation is a historical category—a product of human society reaching a certain stage of development—and a community possessing certain common characteristics in terms of language, territory, and sentiment. Marx noted that the term "nation" was used to describe many Indian tribes because, although small in number, they each had their own distinct dialect and territory. He also observed that the four tribes of Attica, by speaking the same dialect and occupying a common territory, had fused into a single nation. This demonstrates the importance of a common language and common territory to a nation. Engels also repeatedly mentioned these common characteristics when discussing ethnic traits. He pointed out that "the large and viable European nations should increasingly be provided with truly natural frontiers determined by language and common sentiment" and that "the primary conditions for national existence [are] a large population and a contiguous territory." In discussing the Mark [20] system of the Germanic peoples, he noted that blood-alliances were the foundation of the entire national system. As population increased and the nation continued to develop, such alliances were increasingly forgotten, and common lineage was less regarded as actual blood kinship; "what remained was merely a common history and a common dialect." The fusion of tribal leagues caused the territories of various tribes to "fuse into the entire territory of a nation (Volk)."
These constitute the basic viewpoints of Marx and Engels on the formation and development of nations. Lenin inherited and developed Marxist ethnic theory, clearly stating that nations possess common characteristics such as territory and language. Stalin refuted the erroneous views of Springer—who argued that a nation is a union of people with the same thoughts and language, a cultural community independent of territory—and Bauer’s view that "the nation is a relative community of character." Stalin maintained that a nation is first and foremost a community, not a fortuitous or ephemeral conglomeration, but a stable community of people formed over history. Its basic characteristics are a common language, a common territory, a common economic life, and a common psychological makeup manifested in a common culture. In short, Marxist ethnic theory is a summation of the laws of national formation and development under different historical backgrounds, and it has had a profound impact on the development of ethnic theory in our country.
The formation and development of a nation is the result of both interaction, exchange, and blending, as well as the universal connection and development of various elements. First, regarding the formation and development of nations, Marxism holds that growth generally follows the sequence of clan, phratry, tribe, tribal confederation, and finally, the nation. The formation of a nation is a process of extensive contact and long-term interaction based on the movement and mixed settlement of people, tribal integration, and the blending of lineages. At each stage of development, certain common characteristics are formed. As the degree of interaction, exchange, and blending increases, traditional blood ties within the ethnic community gradually diminish, while factors such as culture, economy, territory, and language become more prominent. Marx and Engels pointed out: "The antagonism between town and country begins with the transition from barbarism to civilization, from tribe to State, from locality to nation, and runs through the whole history of civilization to the present day." Ethnic communities are the result of tribal localism moving toward civilization. The development of social productive forces leads to more abundant means of subsistence and more frequent exchange of goods, while the expansion of trade centers promotes the emergence of cities. Therefore, the transition of social organization from primitive tribal systems to class-society state systems is the result of tribes developing into nations with broader territories, and it marks the march from barbarism to civilization.
Following the formation of a nation, influenced by various factors, the people of various ethnic groups undergo continuous differentiation and integration, sometimes even forming new ethnic groups, namely "secondary-growth ethnic groups" (cishēngtài mínzú). Engels noted: "From the mixing of peoples in the early Middle Ages, new nations gradually developed... in this developmental process, most of the conquered people—the peasants and townspeople within the former Roman provinces—assimilated their victors, the Germanic rulers." This reveals a special phenomenon in ethnic development. Secondary-growth ethnic groups and primary-growth ethnic groups exhibit the characteristics of "same source, different streams" (tóng yuán yì liú) or "different sources, same stream" (yì yuán tóng liú); this phenomenon is particularly evident in history. The discourses of Marx and Engels on the formation and development of nations profoundly reveal the aspect of ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending.
Second, regarding the common characteristics of ethnic groups, classical Marxist writers adhered to a connectionist and developmental perspective. The various characteristics of an ethnic community are always in a state of mutual connection, influence, and constraint. Stalin pointed out: "A nation is formed only as a result of lengthy and systematic intercourse, as a result of people living together generation after generation." The formation and development of a nation are complementary to social development: social development constrains ethnic development, and ethnic development, in turn, constrains social development. Driven by new productive forces, the links between ethnic groups become closer, even forming economic communities. In 2005, the "Decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Further Strengthening Ethnic Work and Accelerating the Economic and Social Development of Ethnic Minorities and Ethnic Areas" pointed out: "An ethnic group is a stable community of people formed at a certain stage of historical development. Generally speaking, ethnic groups share common characteristics in terms of historical origin, mode of production, language, culture, customs, and psychological identity. In the process of formation and development of some ethnic groups, religion plays an important role." Common historical origin primarily refers to shared geographical and ancestral roots, where geography is the basic condition for ethnic formation and ancestry is the key element for ethnic cohesion. A common mode of production is an important economic condition for ethnic formation and exerts a constraining effect on other conditions. Common language, culture, and customs are manifestations of common spiritual values formed through long-term social practice. Common psychological identity—the sense of psychological belonging to an ethnic group—is the spiritual bond of ethnic unity, constantly stimulating the internal cohesion and centripetal force of all ethnic groups. These six common characteristics represent a contemporary sublimation of the definitions of "nation" by classical Marxist writers. They place greater emphasis on the geography, ancestry, culture, and modes of production in ethnic development. They conform to the objective reality of the formation and development of the Chinese nation and constitute Sinicized and modernized Marxist ethnic theory.
The subjects of interaction are individuals, groups, and the state, with the individual as the fundamental element. The objects of interaction primarily involve political, economic, cultural, social, and spiritual aspects. Interaction, exchange, and blending among ethnic groups play a vital role in building the community for the Chinese nation. Classical Marxist ethnic theory holds that the phenomenon of ethnic fusion has always existed and that ethnic entities will eventually wither away. In a true community, the association of intercourse creates the conditions for the free and well-rounded development of individuals. Although the discourses of classical Marxist writers on ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending come from different angles, their internal essence is consistent, providing a solid theoretical foundation for the construction of the community for the Chinese nation in the New Era.
2. The Historical Logic of Interaction, Exchange, and Blending Among Ethnic Groups
The characteristics and trends of ethnic relations contained within "interaction, exchange, and blending" have deep historical roots. All ethnic groups have engaged in continuous interaction and horizontal movement on the land of China, forming a "pluralistic integrity" (duoyuán yītǐ) pattern in which "I am in you, and you are in me." In essence, the formation and development of the Chinese nation is itself the result of the continuous interaction, exchange, and blending of various ethnic groups.
First, all ethnic groups jointly created a unified multi-ethnic state. As early as the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, ethnic groups were already classified within the discourse system of the Huaxia [21] regime as the Dongyi (Eastern Yi), Nanman (Southern Man), Xirong (Western Rong), and Beidi (Northern Di). To obtain better living environments and material resources, different groups competed and were eventually integrated into a "Grand Unity" (dàyītǒng) political body. During the Shang and Zhou periods, the types and lineages of frontier ethnic groups gradually increased. Some took the opportunity of the decline of Central Plains dynasties to enter those regions, deepening ethnic blending. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Wuhuan, and various tribes from the Western Regions were all incorporated into the Huaxia system, forming an ethnic community—the Han—on the basis of ethnic fusion. During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, the "Five Barbarians [22] entered China," and the people of the Central Plains migrated south. The northern and southern ethnic groups blended in language, culture, and customs, creating an unprecedented Great Fusion of ethnic groups in Chinese history. Gao Huan [23] was originally a Han from Bohai, but because his grandfather Gao Mi was exiled to Huaishuo Town for a crime, the family lived there for generations. By Gao Huan's time, after three generations, he "adopted their customs and thus became the same as the Xianbei" (Book of Northern Qi, Annals 1), and he ordered his armies to "always speak the Xianbei language" (Book of Northern Qi, Biography of Gao Qian). During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the regimes exhibited clear characteristics of "Hu-Han co-governance" [24]. Many members of the ruling group inherited Xianbei lineages, and a large-scale phenomenon of "Hu-ization" occurred, particularly in the Heshuo region. To control frontier ethnic areas, the Tang dynasty adopted the jimi (loose rein) system and used strategies such as "marriage alliances" (heqin) and "governing according to local customs." They permitted intermarriage between ethnic groups, which deepened mutual interaction. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and the Liao, Song, Xia, and Jin periods, groups like the Khitan, Shatuo, Dangxiang (Tangut), and Jurchen established regimes, some of which stood in opposition to the Song. With constant warfare between regimes, ethnic groups within these territories migrated frequently. Large numbers of northern ethnic groups entered the Central Plains to live alongside the Han, while Central Plains Han migrated south once again, laying the foundation for new ethnic fusion and national unification. From the Yuan dynasty onward, China basically maintained a pattern of Grand Unity. By this time, northern groups like the Khitan, Xi, Shiwei, and Jurchen, through periods of mixed settlement and blending during the Liao, Song, Xia, and Jin, were identified as the "new Han." As the History of Yuan records: "Jurchens and Khitans are the same as Han people" and "Jurchens born in Han lands are the same as Han people." By the Qing dynasty, the proto-territorial map of modern China was essentially formed. The Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties were both the foundational period for the formation of the ethnic distribution pattern in Chinese history and an expansionary period for the deep blending of the Chinese nation.
Second, all ethnic groups jointly opened up our vast territory. The joint development of territory carries three meanings: first, an ethnic group developing its own concentrated inhabited area; second, the central regime developing frontier areas; and third, different regimes mutually opening and managing border regions. In Chinese history, all three scenarios have been present, with the second being particularly significant. The Qin dynasty expanded into the "Henan" (south of the Yellow River), "Southwest," and "Lingnan" regions, migrating tens of thousands of households from the interior to guard the borders. The Han dynasty opened up Hexi, Hetao, Bashu, and Dianqian, migrating over a million people. The Northern Wei moved officials and skilled craftsmen of the Han and Murong Xianbei from the former Later Yan to Pingcheng; they also moved residents from six commanderies of the Northern Yan to Youzhou, and over 30,000 households from Guzang in Northern Liang to Pingcheng. These migrations brought advanced productive forces and played an important role in local social development. The Tang dynasty established military agricultural colonies (tunken) in the borderlands, and frontier residents moved inland, jointly developing the social economy of the border regions; during the Xuanzong era alone, roughly 50,000 qing (approx. 330,000 hectares) were cultivated. After the Song dynasty, "frontier trade markets" (huishi) were opened, and specialized Salt and Tea Transport Agencies were established. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Tea-Horse trade and Silk-Horse trade flourished, and economic interaction between ethnic groups became a norm. Migration, frontier cultivation, and economic/trade exchanges strengthened the interaction, exchange, and blending between the Central Plains and border regions, leading to historic development in the latter. It is precisely because of the ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending at every historical stage that the "pluralistic integrity" of the Chinese nation exists today. The interaction and contact between ethnic groups, along with the ethnic policies and ideological practices of various ethnic regimes, jointly promoted the formation of the consciousness of the community for the Chinese nation.
3. The Practical Logic of Interaction, Exchange, and Blending Among Ethnic Groups
In the development of human society, the growth of productive forces has brought different regions, individuals, and interest groups into contact with one another, with some coalescing into communities defined by shared characteristics. Through all-around interaction, exchange, and mingling, people establish more complete institutional rules, which in turn promote the formation of higher-level ethnic communities. In Chinese history, the political reforms and institutional adjustments of various regimes broke through narrow geocultural perspectives, causing the distinction between "Hu" [25] (non-Han) and "Han" contexts to gradually dissolve, leading the people of all ethnic groups toward integration through interaction and collision.
The ethnic issue is a component of the general issue of social development; whether ethnic issues can be correctly understood and handled bears upon the long-term peace and stability of the country, social tranquility, and the stability of border areas. Throughout the revolution, construction, and reform led by the Communist Party of China, properly handling ethnic relations, upholding ethnic equality, strengthening ethnic unity, and promoting the common prosperity and development of all ethnic groups have remained focal points of the Party’s ethnic work. National unity and social stability have become important benchmarks for measuring the effectiveness of ethnic work. Since the reform and opening-up, the trend of ethnic interaction, exchange, and mingling has become increasingly evident. With the development of productive forces, the ethnic distribution pattern of "living together over vast areas while settling in small concentrated communities and intermingling" [26] has shifted from static to dynamic, exhibiting new characteristics of large-scale mobility and widespread integrated residency. The refinement of the division of labor and the mobility of population resources have also become hallmarks of the era. Additionally, the increasing sophistication of transportation and information technology has continuously enhanced the public's ability to share information, eliminating geographical and psychological barriers to a certain extent, deepening emotional exchange among all ethnic groups, and strengthening cultural identity. The interaction, exchange, and mingling of all ethnic groups is an inevitable trend of social development and the developmental direction of socialist ethnic relations.
Entering the New Era, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has successively put forward important propositions such as the "Chinese nation community," "forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation," and "the construction of the Chinese nation community," positioning ethnic interaction, exchange, and mingling as a major task.
The concept of "interaction, exchange, and mingling" (jiāowǎng jiāoliú jiāoróng) avoids the misunderstanding of simply equating "ethnic integration" with "ethnic assimilation." It highlights the characteristic of "togetherness," emphasizing the "harmony in diversity" and "concord" aspects of ethnic relations, aiming to promote the common prosperity, development, unity, and progress of all ethnic groups. Interaction and exchange are the premises, while mingling is the essential requirement. Mingling does not mean eliminating ethnic differences, much less the eradication of any particular ethnic group. The concept of ethnic interaction, exchange, and mingling is the result of combining Marxist theory on ethnic fusion with the "harmony and unity" (héhé) [27] thought in fine traditional Chinese culture and the reality of large-scale integrated residency and mobility in the New Era; it is the outcome of specific practices in ethnic work and the continuous enrichment and exploration of the Party's ethnic theory and policy. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the process of building a strong country and national rejuvenation must be a process of extensive interaction, exchange, and mingling among all ethnic groups," and "extensive interaction, exchange, and mingling is an important path for promoting the construction of the Chinese nation community." Extensive interaction, exchange, and mingling aim to promote the unity of all ethnic groups in terms of ideals, convictions, emotions, and culture. The "commonality" of the Chinese nation community is reflected in many aspects—political, economic, cultural, social, and ecological—highly corresponding to the specific dimensions of ethnic interaction, exchange, and mingling, "gradually achieving the all-around embedding of all ethnic groups in spatial, cultural, economic, social, and psychological terms." All-around embedding is the manifestation of ethnic interaction, exchange, and mingling, and the foundation for forming the Chinese nation community. Realizing mutual ethnic embedding means breaking the "parallel society" [28] state in ethnic regions, "actively constructing mutually embedded social structures and community environments," and "constructing a regularized mechanism for publicity and education to forge a sense of community for the Chinese nation," thereby creating social conditions where people of all ethnic groups live, study, work, and enjoy themselves together. Therefore, the interaction, exchange, and mingling of all ethnic groups and the construction of the Chinese nation community promote one another.
IV. Cultural Empowerment: The Ideological Practice of the Construction of the Chinese Nation Community
Marxism holds that "the production of ideas, of conceptions, of consciousness, is at first directly interwoven with the material activity and the material intercourse of men, the language of real life. Conceiving, thinking, the mental intercourse of men, appear at this stage as the direct efflux of their material behavior." Ethnic consciousness is a product of human social development. Forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation requires focusing on both material interaction and spiritual interaction and exchange. The reason why the people of all ethnic groups have formed an identification with the Chinese nation lies not only in the close ties of blood and geography but even more in the spiritual pursuit of "cultural ties" (wényuán) [29]—that is, the historical traditions, cultural memories, and national spirit jointly created by all ethnic groups, as well as the customs, habits, and languages formed through mutual recognition in life practices. The historical and cultural dimension of the construction of the Chinese nation community includes two aspects: first, deeply understanding from a historical perspective the objectivity and naturalness (zìzàixìng) of the formation of the Chinese nation community, where the concepts of unification, mingling, harmony, and mutual learning served as the "ideological glue" for the formation of the "diversity in unity" [30] ethnic pattern; second, interpreting the symbiotic logic of the "all-under-heaven" state (tiānxià guójiā), Chinese culture, and the Chinese nation from an ideological and cultural perspective, breaking down the value distinctions of the traditional "distinction between Hua and Yi" (Huá-Yí zhī biàn) [31], transcending Western paradigms of nation-state theory, and constructing a cultural narrative for the Chinese nation community. The mutual embedding and complementarity of history and culture embody the distinct characteristics of the practice of constructing the Chinese nation community.
- Consolidating the Foundation via History: The Continuation of Community Memory
Uphold the fundamentals and break new ground to continue the cultural lineage. The Chinese nation has a tradition of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. Phrases such as "It is necessary to establish the upright and correct" (Xunzi Jijie), "Those who follow the law and uphold the correct are insulted by the world, while those who are extravagant and transgressive are called honorable" (Records of the Grand Historian: Book of Rites), and "Those in office should be clear-sighted and uphold the correct" (Book of the Later Han, Vol. 26) all represent the great historical practices of Chinese civilization. In the process of Chinese-path modernization, only by upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground can we grasp and lead the times. "Upholding the fundamentals" (shǒuzhèng) means upholding the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological field, upholding the fundamental requirements of the "Two Combinations," and upholding the CPC's cultural leadership and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. "Breaking new ground" (chuàngxīn) means creating new ideas, new discourses, new mechanisms, and new forms; under the guidance of Marxism, it means making the past serve the present and foreign things serve China, weeding through the old to bring forth the new, and achieving an organic link between tradition and modernity. An important measure for strengthening historical memory and enhancing cultural identity is the continuation of the cultural lineage. History is the foundation of cultural inheritance, historical records are the carriers of cultural dissemination, and the compiling of history is an important means of civilizational transmission. Compiling major canons during times of prosperity is a tradition of successive dynasties. Detailed historical materials provide resources for cultural inheritance and serve as historical references for future generations, becoming an integral part of cultural transmission. Historical records and research provide methods and paths for cultural inheritance, promoting cultural dissemination and development. A vast sea of classical documents records the historical face of this multi-ethnic country. Led by the Records of the Grand Historian (Shǐjì), the "Official Histories" (zhèngshǐ) of successive dynasties write the developmental history of the unified multi-ethnic state. The views on legitimacy and the distinction between "Yi" and "Xia" [31] centered on Confucianism also profoundly influenced the attitudes of historians and the stylistic structures of historical books. Regardless of whether the previous regime was established by the Han ethnic group, subsequent dynasties would compile its history, fully reflecting the importance placed on the continuity of the cultural lineage. Among these, many historical materials on ethnic policy discourse and the ideas of monarchs, ministers, and literati provide detailed data for our contemporary research into the history of the Chinese nation and the interactions between ethnic groups. The glorious eras of prosperity in history, tales of ethnic unity, and the spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists are all important contents of the shared historical memory of the Chinese nation. Valuing historical value, protecting historical and cultural heritage, and emphasizing cultural inheritance work are important components of constructing the Chinese nation community.
- Forging the Soul via Ideology: The Value Cohesion of the Community
Respect cultural differences and seek a value "consensus." General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The history of human social development shows that for a nation or a country, the most lasting and profound force is the core values commonly recognized by the whole of society. Core values carry the spiritual pursuits of a nation or a country and embody the value standards by which a society judges right from wrong." Over-emphasizing the differences in ethnic cultures can, to a certain extent, weaken the cultural identity of the Chinese nation. Cultural differences are mainly reflected in two aspects: first, the cultural diversity of material forms, such as dietary habits, clothing, and architectural styles; second, differences in spiritual forms, such as language, festivals, etiquette, and ethics. How to find common elements on the basis of ethnic cultural differences is a question we must continuously explore and research.
Forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation requires seeking roots and ancestors in culture, deeply excavating shared cultural resources, and taking the socialist core values as the guide to build a value consensus. Socialist core values have deep cultural foundations and nourish the common spiritual home of all ethnic groups; they are powerful ideological weapons for refuting the Western concept of "universal values," opposing the hegemonic discourse system, and criticizing erroneous trends of thought. They can serve as the evaluative standard for the values of all ethnic groups. We must resolutely oppose narrow nationalism, establish a correct view of the history of the Chinese nation, correctly handle the relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of various ethnic groups, and enhance the sense of national identity and pride. The view of Chinese national history should take the overall trajectory of China's historical development as its starting point, begin with the laws of the evolution of the Chinese nation, and explore the developmental trends of the Chinese nation community. We must strengthen cultural exchange and mutual learning, and view the commonalities and differences of various ethnic groups correctly. We must clarify the "sameness" of common characteristics and the "difference" of unique traits, "seeking common ground while reserving differences" on the basis of respecting differences and understanding individuality. We must always understand that the Chinese nation is a community with a shared future that has gradually formed over thousands of years, in which "you are in me and I am in you" (nǐ zhōng yǒu wǒ, wǒ zhōng yǒu nǐ). We must understand that multiple ethnic groups jointly created a diverse ethnic culture and together painted the beautiful picture of Chinese culture.
- Co-constructing via Emotion: The Construction of the Community’s Spiritual Home
The construction of a spiritual home essentially belongs to civilizational identity with emotion as the link. it is the transformation of abstract national identity into perceptible emotional experiences. The core lies in converting diverse cultural elements into collective spiritual and cultural symbols through mobilization mechanisms. The construction of the Chinese nation community needs to rely on historical memories, cultural symbols, and shared values to stimulate emotional resonance, co-shape collective memory, and form emotional synchronization. The construction of a spiritual home takes culture as its carrier, and through various cultural activities, allows socialist core values to integrate into daily life, forming a progressive logic of "symbol—emotion—identity." Taking the "diversity in unity" pattern of the Chinese nation as the core, we must reconstruct historical narratives. We must establish a correct view of the state, history, nation, and culture, leading the construction of the spiritual home in thought and guiding members of the Chinese nation to establish a spiritual community that transcends geography and ethnicity through shared emotional experiences. Since the beginning of the modern era, against the backdrop of feudalism and colonialism, the concept of the Chinese nation (Zhōnghuá mínzú) emerged as the times required. The Chinese nation is not only the general term for all ethnic groups within China's territory but also a collective name for all Chinese ethnic groups at the spiritual level; it is the combination of the "ethnic group" in traditional culture and the "modern state" at the level of meaning. Today, the concept of the "Chinese nation" increasingly expresses the sense of identity that all sons and daughters of China feel toward the motherland. The Chinese nation itself is a community, a product of historical development. "Family-country sentiment" (jiāguó qínghuái) [32] is the basis for ethnic interaction, exchange, and mingling; it essentially reflects the construction of the shared spiritual home of the Chinese nation—that is, adhering to cultural values as the baseline and national emotion as the reliance to establish identification with the state, the nation, the culture, and the institutional system. We must construct a symbiotic pattern of political unity, economic interconnectedness, cultural mingling, and emotional proximity, forming a spiritual system of mutual assistance and shared destiny, providing a solid foundation for the construction of the Chinese nation community.
In the New Era, the construction of the spiritual home must, on the basis of upholding the subjectivity of Chinese culture, establish a more inclusive emotional discourse system, enabling socialist core values to form an organic resonance with the emotional needs of all ethnic groups. This will achieve a deep transformation from a political community to an emotional community, providing lasting momentum for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation. In short, we must use culture as the warp and emotion as the weft, forming a dynamic construction model through institutional guarantees, technological empowerment, and intergenerational inheritance.
- Innovation in Practice: The Path of Community Integration
Solidify the cultural foundation and explore cultural resources. The Chinese nation has formed diverse cultural resources across different historical stages, which contain deep-rooted common origins. Deeply exploring the excellent traditional cultures of all ethnic groups is intended to make people of all ethnicities realize that the inheritance of Chinese culture is the result of inter-ethnic interaction. Ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending [33] is an objective fact; the development of the consciousness of the Chinese nation community does not violate the fundamental law of moving from ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending toward ethnic integration. Leveraging the advantages of traditional cultural resources is primarily reflected in two levels. First, the interpretation of historical memory. This involves searching for historical records, cultural relics, monuments, and memory fragments preserved in the historical process of ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending—specifically, the parts of culture that embody community consciousness and the ideological essence that is universally recognized and jointly observed by all ethnic groups. In other words, it means finding the imprints of the common development of all ethnic groups within the excellent traditional Chinese culture. Second, the interpretation of spiritual culture. This involves refining cross-ethnic shared cultural symbols, shaping visible cultural consensus among different groups, reinterpreting the concepts of "Great Unity under Heaven" [34] and "Harmonious Coexistence" [35], discovering common cultural genes and spiritual qualities, shaping political judgment, firming ideological leadership, and tempering the willpower of conviction to fully demonstrate the spirit of unity and struggle of the Chinese nation.
The construction of the Chinese nation community needs to shift from a "physical superposition" to a "chemical reaction" style of organic symbiosis, ensuring the depth of ethnic interaction through institutional design, activating cultural vitality via technological innovation, and building a harmonious and orderly community ecosystem. The construction of the Chinese nation community must always take the connection between people as its core, making cultural fusion a practical process in which all ethnic groups spontaneously participate and from which they collectively benefit, and using value reshaping to coalesce a spiritual consensus. Grafting the consciousness of the Chinese nation community is, in essence, about solidifying the foundation of the Chinese nation's sense of identity. Only by possessing the self-awareness to forge the consciousness of the Chinese nation community can cultural confidence be further enhanced.
Conclusion
The construction of the Chinese nation community is an important component of the Party's ethnic work in the New Era. Its historical and cultural significance and practical logic are not only a summation of the evolutionary laws of Chinese civilization but also a response to the path of national rejuvenation in the New Era. The construction of the Chinese nation community is rooted in the idea of the Great Unification [36], uses cultural identity as its core, takes interaction, exchange, and blending as its practical path, and utilizes cultural empowerment as its innovative driver. It constructs a complete theoretical framework that bridges history and reality while fusing tradition and modernity, profoundly revealing how the Chinese nation formed a pattern of diversity in unity and how it continues to consolidate the spiritual ties and institutional resilience of the community during the process of modernization.
In the long river of history, various ethnic groups have formed a pattern of diversity in unity characterized by "I am in you, and you are in me" through economic connectivity, mutual cultural learning, and emotional integration. Community construction in the New Era takes forging the consciousness of the Chinese nation community as its fundamental direction. It solidifies the foundation for interaction through institutional guarantees, deepens the content of exchange through education and guidance, and promotes the quality and efficiency of blending through development opportunities. While promoting common prosperity in material life, it simultaneously builds a shared foundation for the spiritual home. This practical logic both inherits the historical wisdom of "harmony without uniformity" [37] from Chinese civilization and demonstrates the innovative breakthroughs of the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era. it injects powerful momentum for all ethnic groups to strive together for common prosperity and development, opening up a new realm for resolving ethnic issues while upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground.
The historical and cultural significance and practical logic of the construction of the Chinese nation community prove the contemporary vitality of the concept of "harmonious coexistence" in Chinese civilization and provide a Chinese solution for the governance of multi-ethnic states. From the Great Unification to the community, and from cultural identity to interaction, exchange, and blending, the Chinese nation, with its profound civilizational accumulation, has explained how to achieve political integration without eliminating differences, how to maintain cultural subjectivity amidst the tide of economic globalization, and how to transform historical experience into wisdom for solving realistic problems. Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and promoting Chinese-path modernization through the great unity of the Chinese nation is inevitably a process of ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending. Ethnic interaction, exchange, and blending and the construction of the Chinese nation community are two sides of the same coin; they are crucial elements for strengthening national cohesion and enriching the theory of the Chinese nation community. They not only build a solid ideological foundation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation but also provide a Chinese solution for the political system, ethnic relations, frontier governance, and cultural construction of a unified multi-ethnic state. In the process of constructing the Chinese nation community, it is necessary to adhere to the dialectical unity of history and reality, take the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture as the driving force, and coalesce a consensus for development while upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground.
About the Author: An Beijiang is an Associate Researcher at the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and a Researcher at the Turkic Studies Center of CASS. Source: Marxist Studies (Mǎkèsīzhǔyì Yánjiū), Issue 12, 2025. Editor: Huihui