Where does the name Chinese nation come from? What is its significance?

The word "Chinese nation" is a combination of the long-standing word "China" and the word "nation" introduced from the West in modern times. Liang Qichao, Yang Du, Zhang Taiyan and others , was the earliest pioneer to use the term "Chinese nation".

Liang Qichao was the first to use "Chinese nation". However, Liang Qichao also created the term "Oriental nation". He wrote "Dongji Yuedan" in 1899 ", which includes "Ten years ago, the Japanese translated Western books on a large scale and adopted their style and names. Amano wrote the History of All Nations, and even called it an oriental nation in its preface.

China was originally the name of the Han people.

In 1902, in the article "The General Trend of Changes in Chinese Academic Thought", Liang Qichao wrote: "In ancient times, our Chinese nation had only the same number of thinkers from all over the world, so two concepts arose among them. "Yan, one is the view of the country, and the other is the world view." This is the earliest use of the term "Chinese nation". From the context, the "Chinese nation" mentioned by Liang should refer to the Han people, to be precise, it refers to the ancient Chinese people. The ethnic group and the growing Han ethnic group have evolved from the Huaxia ethnic group to the present. In this article, he made a special note on the term "descendants of the Yellow Emperor" and pointed out: "Hereinafter, the province will refer to the Huang ethnic group, and the word "Han" has always been used. Today, Han is the descendant. The dynasty is not enough to take the name of our nation, so we use this instead."

In 1905, Liang Qichao used the term "Chinese nation" more than 7 times in his article "Observations on the Chinese Nation in History" , and clearly pointed out its meaning, "Today's Chinese nation, commonly known as the so-called Han people", it is "the main ethnic group of China, the so-called Yanhuang descendants."

Yang Du, Zhang Taiyan and Huang Xing All are used

In 1907, following Liang Qichao, Yang Du, a famous representative of the constitutionalists in the late Qing Dynasty, also became an early user of the term "Chinese nation". On May 20 of that year, he wrote in "New China" In the article "Gold and Iron Doctrine" serialized in the "Jin-Tie Doctrine", in basically the same sense as Liang, that is, "Chinese nation" refers to the Han nationality, and "Chinese nation" is also used many times.

Revolutionaries Zhang Taiyan, one of the important representatives of the Republic of China, also used the term "Chinese nation" in his article "The Liberation of the Republic of China", still referring to the Han people.

In 1924, Sun Yat-sen proposed his national definition in "The Three People's Principles" Dr. Sun Yat-sen believed that there are "five huge forces" that constitute a nation, the greatest of which is "bloodline", followed by "life", the third is "language", the fourth is "religion", and the fifth is "customs" "Habits", these five forces are evolved naturally, not conquered by force. Sun Yat-sen's understanding is correct and in line with Japanese and Western understandings of nations.

In 1926, Cai Yuanpei wrote in Beijing The article "Talking about Ethnology" believes that the characteristics of a nation are "bloodline, language, residence, habits, religion, and spiritual system." This is also the correct explanation of the nation.

After the Revolution of 1912, March 1912 On March 19, revolutionary leaders Huang Xing, Liu Kui and others launched the influential "National Congress of the Republic of China", which was later renamed the "National Congress of the Republic of China". The meaning of the word "Chinese nation" here has changed. It refers specifically to the Han people, but refers to all ethnic groups in China at that time, including Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Japanese, Tibetan and other ethnic groups. At the same time, some local officials in Shanghai and other places also issued the "Resolving Racial Views" Proclamation" prohibits businessmen, newspaper advertisements, and public and private letters from using the word "大汉" to show the "great unity" of the Republic of China.

The meaning of the Chinese nation is expanded

December 1, 1911 On Japan, some Mongolian princes, under the instruction of Tsarist Russia, established the so-called "Great Mongol Empire" in Kulun with Jebsundani as the "Great Khan".

In response to such separatist behavior, in early 1913, At the Mongolian Princes' Conference held in Guisui (now Hohhot), the princes of 22 tribes and 34 banners in western Inner Mongolia unanimously decided to "unite Eastern Mongolia to oppose Kulun".

They also telegraphed the whole country and declared: "For hundreds of years, Han Dynasty Mongolia and Mongolia have become one family, and we, Mongolia, are members of the Chinese nation, and we should work together as one to maintain the Republic of China." This was stated for the first time in a political document,

Representatives of ethnic minorities *** unanimously declared that their ethnic groups belong to the Chinese nation.

As the president of the Republic of China, Yuan Shikai was also the first to use the term "Chinese nation" in the sense of covering all ethnic groups in China. This word was used earlier, and it also happened to indicate that it happened in the process of dealing with the Mongolian separatist act. He wrote in a letter to Kulun Living Buddha Jebtsundani: "Outer Mongolia is both a Chinese nation. For hundreds of years, Just like one family".

Since then, the term "Chinese nation" no longer refers specifically to the Han people, but to the concept of referring to all ethnic groups in China in general. However, "Chinese nation" is not used in the languages ????of ethnic minorities. It cannot be translated and can only exist in Chinese. For example, the Chinese in Tibetan is rgya mi, which refers to the Han people. Tibetan does not have the word Zhonghua. At the same time, *** "Chinese nation" in Er language " is jungxua milletliri, which is just a transliteration of Chinese. The Mongolian Chinese name is doomd in wended ten (ethnic Chinese), which is just a transliteration and has no meaning in the national language.

"Chinese nation" tends to integrate

In the early years of the Republic of China, Li Dazhao was the first person to consciously and publicly raise the banner of remaking the modern "Chinese nation" from the perspective of nationalist ideology. On February 19 and April 18, 1917, he published "New The two articles "Chinese Nationalism" and "Greater Asiaticism", in response to the Japanese nation-centered Greater Asiaticism promoted by the Japanese, proposed that the Chinese should inspire the consciousness of a "new Chinese nationalism" based on the integration of all ethnic groups. , "The former Manyun, Hanyun, Mengyun, Huiyun, Zangyun, Miaoyun, and Yaoyun are all leftover words in history. Today, they are no longer bound. All people who belong to the Republic of China , are all for the new Chinese nation.” The “Chinese nation” used by Li Dazhao here refers to the new nation after the integration of various ethnic groups in China. However, the theory of integration betrays ethnology. The integration of the nation must be “all the characteristics of the integrated nationalities and the nationalities.” The complete disappearance of differences and the demise of integrated nations. Obviously, talking about integration denies the existence of 56 ethnic groups.

In 1922, Liang Qichao, who first proposed the concept of "Chinese nation", wrote "The Chinese Nation in History" "Research on", he pointed out in the book that "Chinese nation" usually refers to the Han nationality, and at the same time pointed out that "Chinese nation" includes the unified characteristics of the identity of all ethnic groups in China. He said: "Whenever you encounter a different ethnic group, you will immediately Anyone who has the concept of "Chinese" floating in his mind is a member of the Chinese nation." It also specifically pointed out that "therefore, all Manchurians are now members of the Chinese nation." It was clearly pointed out: "In the past four hundred years, Since then, nationalism has emerged day by day, developed day by day, and then accumulated in great force, becoming the center point of modern history. Those who follow it will prosper, and those who go against it will perish." Liang Qichao firmly believed that in order for China to survive, it was necessary to promote nationalism. doctrine. But the integration of a nation must be the integration of language, culture, religion and habits. Politically speaking, integration is bound to be shamed by sociologists and anthropologists.

The evolution of the meaning of "Chinese nation"

Liang Qichao's "Multiple Mix" Theory In 1905, Liang Qichao wrote the article "Observations on Chinese Nationalities in History", pointing out from the perspective of historical evolution that the Chinese nation is all the nationalities within China, including Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui and Tibetan. One family is a diverse and mixed family.

Yang Du's "Cultural Clan Name" said that Yang Du published the article "Gold and Iron Doctrine" in 1907, explaining China as a regional concept and China as a culture Unification, the Chinese nation is classified as a cultural ethnic name. All the ethnic groups that grew up on the land of China have indivisibly formed a Chinese nation through exchanges and integration. Here, Yang Du gave the meaning of the Chinese nation to modern cultural human beings The connotation of learning is full of cultural color and theoretical significance.

Zhang Taiyan's "Han-centered" theory Zhang Taiyan does not object to Yang Du or even Liang Qichao's conclusion that using the Chinese nation to summarize all ethnic groups in China. He is different from Yang Du The first is to insist on taking the Han nationality as the center; the second is to organize the political power by the ***; the third is to use the Han nationality to gradually assimilate other ethnic minorities. As we all know, Zhang Taiyan is a Han centrist. But the views he expressed here Compared with 1903

The national revanchism propagated before and after has changed greatly.

Sun Yat-sen's "Five Nationalities Harmony" theory. Sun Yat-sen, who has always advocated "revolutionary fullness", also took over the banner of "Chinese nation" , further proposed the "Five Nationalities Harmony" in 1912, calling for ethnic equality and ethnic unity to achieve ethnic integration and ethnic harmony.

The content of the Chinese nation

China A nation is not a real nation with the same bloodline, language, residence, habits, religion, and spiritual system in the sociological and anthropological sense, but is just a political concept.

The so-called great significance lies in politics It is used to call on the masses and is very racist. It is now one of the special words used to unite ethnic minorities in a certain country. The actual subtext is the same as Zhang Taiyan’s Han Center.