ABSTRACT
This chapter sets the stage for the study of Chinese identities by focusing on the cultural commonalities that were the foundation for Chinese society and the dynamics of social relations, actions, and interactions. Because these cultural elements often played key roles in historical events and developments, understanding them is the first step in understanding the Chinese and their past. A brief survey of the nature of each macroregion will set the stage for our study of the key patterns and trends of Chinese history. The original description of macroregions analyzed the territory within China proper (China south of the Great Wall). Areas around the periphery—Taiwan, Manchuria, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Mongolia—are today a part of China or have special relationships with China. The nature of life in the cores and peripheries of each macroregion varied considerably and certainly affected how resident Chinese elites at least saw themselves and their world.
