"Understanding the Chinese People" is an anthropological and sociological monograph that compiles a vast amount of research findings and analytical conclusions from novelist James Bai. After reading this monograph, you will have a comprehensive and fair understanding of the Chinese people! Perhaps, you will be able to thoroughly understand the past, present, and future of the Chinese!
In "Understanding the Chinese People," novelist James Bai conducts research and analysis on ancient Chinese people, modern Chinese people, and future Chinese people, summarizing the conclusions for each group. In this monograph, James adopts a broad definition of "Chinese people"; it includes Chinese from ancient, modern, and future times, as well as those currently living in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and around the world.
It is important to clarify that the "Chinese people" mentioned by James in "Understanding the Chinese People" refers to a very broad group! It does not only denote the current citizens of the People's Republic of China, but also includes ancient Chinese, modern Chinese, and future Chinese! This also encompasses Chinese living in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, the United States, Canada, Australia, etc. For example, it includes Chinese who have obtained U.S. green cards and U.S. citizenship; thus, Chinese people ≠ citizens of the People's Republic of China.
In "Understanding the Chinese People," novelist James Bai conducts an in-depth study and analysis of key aspects such as the historical essence, cultural core, character and behavior, destiny and group ideology, and national evolutionary trends of the Chinese people; these topics will be elaborated on in the subsequent chapters of the monograph.
Overview & Three Stages of Research
In the process of researching and writing "Understanding the Chinese People," novelist James Bai divided the research into three stages: the ancient Chinese stage, the modern Chinese stage, and the future Chinese stage.
Research Stage 1: Ancient Chinese refers to the period before 1912, including the Qing Dynasty and its predecessors, spanning over 4000 years.During this stage, nearly all Chinese people were consistently part of one slave society after another, their most typical characteristic being the formation of a universally prevalent slave-like personality.
Research Stage 2: Modern Chinese refers to the period from 1912 to 2050, primarily covering the eras of the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China; this stage lasts about 150 years.During this stage, the Chinese people remained in a state of slavery and semi-slavery for a long period, marking a gradual struggle from being slaves to becoming citizens.
Research Stage 3: Future Chinese refers to the Chinese population after 2050, with a research duration estimated between 200 to 500 years.In this stage, the Chinese people finally ended their status in slave and semi-slave societies and began to enter a new era of democratic civilization as citizens!
Novelist James Bai believes that there are clear distinctions between the three stages of Chinese people, and studying them in three separate stages will allow readers to more clearly understand the evolutionary history of the Chinese people. Overall, the evolutionary history of the Chinese people is a process from darkness to light, from slavery to citizenship, and from dictatorship to democracy. This has been a lengthy process spanning over 5000 years.
Overview & Research on Ancient Chinese People
This section will provide a summary of the research findings on ancient Chinese people. Novelist James Bai primarily studied the Chinese people from before 1912, including those from the Qing Dynasty and the preceding 4000 years. From a foreigner's perspective, the Chinese population includes the Han, Mongolian, Hui, Uighur, Kazakh, and over 50 other ethnic minorities. All these groups are collectively referred to as Chinese, at least in the eyes of most foreigners.
Overview & Research on Modern Chinese People
This section will be a summary of the research conclusions on modern Chinese people. Novelist James Bai primarily studied the Chinese from after 1912, specifically from 1912 to 2050; this refers to those living during the Republic of China (from 1912 to the present) and the People’s Republic of China (from 1949 to the present). This is a unique stage! In this period, the Chinese began to gradually and tentatively break away from slavery and autocratic rule, striving for a new era of freedom and democracy.
Overview & Research on Future Chinese People
This section will be a summary of the research conclusions on future Chinese people. Novelist James Bai primarily studies and predicts the new generation of Chinese people after 2050. In this period, the Chinese have completely ended slavery and autocratic rule, and have entered a new era of democracy and freedom! For the Chinese, this is a very important historical milestone, as they have finally escaped over 5000 years of enslavement and autocratic rule and have entered a new era of civilization!