Author(s)

Jingbo Luo ¹, Xi Tang ¹, Jie Ruan ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Guizhou University of Engineering Science, Bijie, Guizhou, 551700, China

Corresponding Author

ABSTRACT

With the in-depth advancement of globalization, China, as a super-large country with a long history, profound cultural heritage, and distinct national characteristics, often faces the challenge and risk of being interpreted through a one-sided lens. This article approaches the analysis from three fundamental elements of a modern state: sovereignty, territory, and people. It explores the rich connotations of China from four key dimensions: territory acts as the physical space for the distribution and cultural growth of the Chinese nation; the Chinese nation itself is the subject of cultural inheritance and political identity; Chinese culture serves as the spiritual bond maintaining national sentiment and national identity; and the state is the highest political form integrating territory, ethnicity, and culture. By analyzing the dynamic interactive relationship among the four elements, it is revealed that the territory, nation, culture and state do not exist in isolation but are interwoven and mutually constructive as an organic whole. The key to correctly understanding China lies in grasping its inherent multiple dimensions and dialectical unity.

KEYWORDS

CITE THIS PAPER

Jingbo Luo, Xi Tang, Jie Ruan. Four Dimensions for Understanding China: Region, Ethnicity, Culture and State. Journal of Sociology and Ethnology (2026). Vol. 8, No.1, 67-73. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jsoce.2026.080109.

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