Constructing a Scientific and Comprehensive TheoreticalSystem for the Chinese National Community:Reflections on Introduction to the Chinese National Community

JOURNAL OF ETHNOLOGY， VOL. 15， NO.02， 01-10， 2024 （CN51-1731/C， in Chinese）

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1674-9391.2024.02.001

Abstract：

Based on the 5，000-year history of the Chinese nation， the book Introduction to the Chinese National Community （hereafter the Introduction） reveals the process of the communication， interaction， and integration among various ethnic groups on the land of China， spaning from ancient times to modern times. It describes the collaborative endeavor of various ethnic groups in the development and progress of the Chinese nation. The book is a scientific and systematic knowledge system， answering the questions of “who the Chinese nation is， where it comes from and where it is going”. It can be said that the Introduction is landmark achievement of innovation and breakthrough of the disciplinary system of Chinese national theory， and a masterpiece for the world to understand China， the Chinese people， the Communist Party of China， and the Chinese nation.

The Introduction provides theoretical interpretations to core concepts such as the “Chinese national community”， “Chinese national community consciousness”， “Chinese civilization and the Chinese national community”， and “view on the history of the Chinese nation”， abstracting the conceptual tools of the discipline of Chinese national community， and establishing basic categories for the discipline of Chinese national community. Within this analytical framework， the Introduction "summarizes and theoretically explains the new thoughts and new conclusions of building the Chinese national community in the new era of China with forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation as a main task， and comprehensively and systematically constructs a theoretical system for the Chinese national community in the new era.

Then， following a historical logic of “theory emerges from history”， based on the long history of the Chinese nation and the guidance of Marxist ethnic theory， starting from the perspective of “four commonalities” of Chinese national history， and using the narrative line that all ethnic groups in China have jointly created unified multi-ethnic country and jointly developed the great Chinese civilization， the Introduction discusses the traits of the construction of Chinese national community across various dynasties in history from political， economic， social and cultural dimensions. It conceivably concludes that the histories of each ethnic group form part of the overall development of the Chinese nation and serve as microcosms of the overall development and progress of the Chinese nation. What is more， it posits that the Chinese nation is a “state-nation” forged by the mutual learning and integration of various ethnic groups over centuries. Using historical facts， the Introduction makes it clear that this Chinese national community is not an “imaginary community”. Thus， it constructs a theoretical system of the Chinese national community， a disciplinary discourse system， and academic theories of a common spiritual home of the Chinese nation.

It could be concluded that the Introduction has laid a theoretical foundation for constructing a historical and cultural memory to be shared by all Chinese people at home and abroad， consolidating the Chinese people，s identity with a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation， shaping a historical， national and cultural confidence of the contemporary Chinese national community， and strengthening the Chinese people，s identification with the great motherland， the Chinese nation， Chinese culture， the Communist Party of China， and socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Key Words：

“four commonalities”；view of the history of the Chinese nation；Chinese civilization；common spiritual home of the Chinese nation