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Being Chinese, Becoming Chinese
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25 November 2025

This edited volume presents a multidisciplinary exploration of Chinese identity, bringing together contributions from philosophers, historians, and legal theorists. The book examines the question of what it means to be, or to become, Chinese, offering a rich collection of perspectives that span both historical and contemporary contexts. Through a series of thought-provoking chapters, the authors explore the complexities of “Chineseness,” shedding light on its relational and multifaceted nature.
Key themes addressed include the importance of a relational worldview that underpins Chinese philosophy and social life, the historical evolution of Chinese identity, and the moral obligations associated with family, nation, and global responsibility. The book also explores the legal dimensions of Chinese identity, emphasizing the role of legal ties that provide fair treatment to all. Taken together, these diverse perspectives provide readers with a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of Chinese identity, making the volume an essential resource for scholars and students of Chinese studies, philosophy, history, sociology and law.
HISTORY / Asia / China, PHILOSOPHY / Eastern, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Asian
Preface
What Does It Mean to Be or to Become Chinese?Interdisciplinary Reflections on Chinese Identity
Daniel A. Bell
Section 1: A Relational Worldview
Chapter 1:
To Be or To Become a Chinese, That Is a Question
Zhao Tingyang
Chapter 2:
What Would Confucius Say? Everyone Is (More or Less) Chinese
Roger T. Ames
Section 2: Historical Perspectives
Chapter 3:
Ancient China: Inclusive and Exclusive Conceptions of Chinese Identity
Yuri Pines
Chapter 4: Rethinking Han Chinese Identity
Patricia Buckley Ebrey
Chapter 5: Reflections on the Zhong Guo and the Yi Di with Reference to the Middle Period
Peter K. Bol
Chapter 6: Qing Empire: Confucian Universalism and Manchu Privilege
Wang Hui
Section 3: What “Chineseness” Ought To Be
Chapter 7: Filial Piety for Modern China
Wang Pei
Chapter 8: The Dilemmas of Becoming Chinese in Taiwan
Max Ko-wu Huang
Chapter 9: Tianxia and Its Decolonial Counterparts: “China” as Civilization, Not Ethnicity
Shuchen Xiang
Conclusion: The Chinese Citizen
The Evolution of Modern Chinese Nationality Law: A Historical Perspective
Albert H. Y. Chen