Recently, Professor Yang Jun, an expert from theChinese Northeastern Nationality Study Center of Jilin University,published an article entitledThe Evolution of Social Organizations and the Formation of Chinese Identity among the Northern Peoplesin the 3rd issue ofSocial Sciences in China2023.
The article points out that most of the northern nationalities must solve the problem of identity transformation in the critical stage of evolution from the former state society to the state. This crucial stage coincided with the period of close interaction between the northern nationalities and the Central Plains Dynasty, so the identification of the Central Plains Dynasty inevitably became a choice for their own identity transformation. The political idea of the Central Plains dynasty accommodating the four Yi and the attraction of the developed social economy and culture to the northern nationalities prompted the latter to gradually highlight the Central Plains dynasty identity in the process of identity transformation, and finally establish the national identity of "China". The Chinese identity of the northern nationalities is a reasonable path for their own development and has its historical inevitability.
