Han Nationalism and <i>Zhonghua Minzu</i> : Ethnic Consciousness in Hong Kong Chinese History Textbooks (1960s–2020s)

ABSTRACT This paper examines the evolution of modern Chinese nationalism, highlighting the predominance of Han 漢 nationalism and Zhonghua Minzu 中華民族 nationalism in contemporary Chinese historiography. Employing text analysis as the principal research methodology, this study analyses Chinese history textbooks from several mainstream publishers in Hong Kong since the 1960s. This paper focuses on the representation of race and ethnic identity in Hong Kong's textbooks, underscoring the central role of the Han in Chinese historical narratives. This explores how notions such as ‘Sinicization 漢化’ and ‘cultural superiority’ have historically framed the Han's ‘assimilation’ and ‘incorporation’ of other ethnic minorities, thereby shaping the nationalistic concept of Zhonghua Minzu as articulated by modern China and constructing a narrative akin to the ‘Han Man's Burden’. This paper argues that Hong Kong's Chinese history textbooks reflect dual forms of Chinese nationalist consciousness: Han nationalism and Zhonghua Minzu nationalism. Over time, Zhonghua Minzu nationalism has supplanted Han nationalism as the prevailing nationalist ideology within the Chinese history curriculum. The historical and national perspectives of the new curriculum reflect Hong Kong's education and ideology, which are increasingly aligned with those of mainland China.