Research on the Emergence, Evolution and Identification of the Concept of “Zhonghua Minzu” (Chinese nation)

Abstract

In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, the concept of “Zhonghua minzu” (Chinese nation) was formally put forward under the historical background of the simultaneous outbreak of Chinese national crisis and border crisis. And this term has gone through a long historical process from the initial nickname of the Han nationality to the final development of the concept of “national race”. With the emergence of Fei Xiaotong’s theory of unity of pluralistic society of Chinese nation, people have a better understanding and deeper interpretation of the concept of “Zhonghua minzu” (Chinese nation).