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STUDY GUIDE FOR CHAPTER THREE, "CULTURAL IDENTITY IN CHINA"

The image which China projects to the world is of a unified people (Han) who speak a common language
(Mandarin). The reality is much more complex. In addition to the majority Han, there are 55 officially
recognized national minorities in China. Even among the Han, there is considerable linguistic and cultural
diversity, with populations who speak eight mutually unintelligible languages and many dialects.  China's
history is characterized by alternating periods of national unity and fragmentation. This chapter discusses
current threats to the continuation of a unified China, with particular emphasis on the growing number of
Chinese who identify themselves as members of minority groups.

Important terms and concepts:

Han
national minority
Mandarin
Tang
regionalism, especially the north-south split
construction of an ethnic identity