中国民族史研究散论

Some Comments on Chinese Ethnic History Study

中国各民族的发展史与中国作为统一的多民族国家的发展史紧密相关 ,作为中华民族主体的汉族一经形成 ,在其漫长的历史中一直发挥着主体民族的凝聚作用 ,具有三个特点 :融合性、扩展性和南北差异性。中国民族文化的研究不应忽略对汉族历史文化的研究。中华民族居住的地理环境的差异所导致的中国北方游牧经济类型和南方农耕类型的差异和相互影响 ,决定了中国民族发展中的融合特点、关系特点等。

The evolution of all ethnic groups of China is closely tied to the development of China, a unitary multi-ethnic state. Since its emergence, the Han ethnic group, occupying the largest part of the Chinese population, has demonstrated a strong cohesive force, which has contributed greatly to the formation of the Chinese nation. The Han ethnic group is characterized by its compromising and extending nature, and by the differences that exist between both the Northern and Southern Hans. Research on Chinese ethnic culture should not ignore the Han. Moreover, the nomadic economy of North China and the farming economy of the South, formed because of geographic conditions, have been interacting mutually. This sheds light on the compromising nature of the Chinese nation and the relationships among different ethnic groups.