“中国观”在元代的转换

忽必烈建立元朝 ,实现了全中国的统一 ,传统的“中国观”以此为契机出现重大变化。“中国”一词的地域意义突破九州而演变为十一行省 ,人民意义突破汉人而演变为汉、蒙、色目等众多民族 ,其文化意义突破农耕文化而演变为农耕文化和草原文化兼有。而其最重大的变化 ,乃是“中国”主权行使者 ,可以是汉族政权 ,也可以是少数民族和汉人的联合政权。这样的“中国观”促进了各民族的大融合和全中国的统一局面的形成。

Change in the Concept of China during the Yuan Dynasty

As a result of Kublai Khan's unification of China through the founding of the Yuan Dynasty, a great change took place in the concept of China. The geographical definition of China was expanded beyond the traditional nine principalities and transformed to eleven provinces. The definition of Chinese was not confined exclusively to the Han nationality, but was broadened to include many different nationalities ranging from the Han to the Mongolian and the Semu, etc. The connotation of cultural life transcended the boundaries of agriculturism to incorporate both agricultural subsistence and nomadic life style. The greatest change has to do with who should be the supreme ruler of China. The answer was that either a Han ruling group or a coalition made up of both Han members and members of minority nationalities was acceptable. This new concept of China speeded up the fusion of different ethnic groups of the Chinese people and guaranteed China's unification.