Ms. Ellen Chang forwarded to me an article from a person whose name was abbreviated as H.S. It is a fairly long article, in which, there is such a statement: “但我認定自己是台灣人，不是中國人。” I wrote back to Ellen to express my opinion as follows:
I just get this bcc letter. You really like to talk about politics. Let me try to explain my opinion on how one can decide whether a person is a Chinese or not a Chinese.
I think you and the person who originated this “台灣人，什麼時候要長大？ ” article (H.S.?) are talking just the “nationality” of a person. H.S. claims to be a 台灣人 or a 中華民國人 but 不是中國人 meaning not a citizen of PRC. Right?
Nationality to me does not mean a lot in determining whether a person is or is not a Chinese. I expect that you know the history of China. Over about 2,200 years since Han Dynasty, China was overrun and conquered by many invaders. They included people of 北魏， 隋， 唐， 五胡，元，清。 In the older days, Chinese really meant 汉人。 In about 50% of the 2,200 years, China was ruled by invaders. Invaders, however, somehow, in time, all became Chinese. Now, 95% plus of the 13.5 billion Chinese are汉人. What is the power that turned these “不是中國人” into Chinese?! I think it is the Chinese culture and civilization that determine a person to be a Chinese or not a Chinese. I have found it hard to define precisely what are culture and civilization. Generally, I think they include blood relationship, genetic heritage, family value, philosophical thinking, religious faith, customs, language, literature, music, foods, history, and so on. So, one can simply ask him/herself, “Am I or am I not a Chinese?”, by reflecting upon one’s own culture and civilization? Don’t pay too much attention to what kind of passport you use when traveling.
The Tsai Administration in Taiwan is trying hard to 去中国化。 Are they very successful? Jews remain being Jews worldwide for thousands of years. Only in China, Jews have been assimilated to become Chinese.
Culture and civilization are something one 打不到，抓不住 but they are everywhere. Chairman Mao’s Culture Revolution might have done some damage but they recover
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