Mentality as a Factor in the Formation of National-State Identity in China

The evolution of Chinese geocivilization constitutes a complex and multifaceted process, significantly contingent upon the state of its sociocultural sphere. This sphere has been cultivated over millennia and continues to evolve under the influence of state-sponsored cultural policy. The strategic focus of this policy is the reinforcement of national-state identity and the promotion of social cohesion among its citizenry. While maintaining the “core values” of their worldview, the Chinese people demonstrate a proactive adaptation to contemporary realities, achieving equilibrium between established traditions and modern exigencies. In this context, the article elucidates salient features of the formation of modern Chinese identity, which emerges as a product of a complex interplay between liberal and traditional perspectives. Notwithstanding this dialectical tension, contemporary Chinese identity retains crucial characteristics deeply rooted in Confucian and Buddhist tenets. The central thesis posits that this identity remains profoundly anchored in tradition, thereby engendering a unique synthesis of the past and the present in Chinese culture.