Empire, Tianxia and Great Unity: A historical examination and future vision of China’s international communication

Abstract

A theoretical imagination of the world order and global landscape is necessary for China’s international communication. ‘Empire – nation state’, the dominant structure in the contemporary world entails the logic of imperialism. However, the perspective of ‘the world’ (Tianxia; 天下) in ancient China introduced alternative theoretical challenges. Chinese scholars have been devoted to developing a vision of a society of ‘Great Unity’ (Datong; 大同) over the past century. Based on historical exanimation, this article aims to explore new approaches of China’s international communication.