Chinese - a concept

as many foreigners have simple incorrect concept on Chinese, i think i have to make it clear.

a most easy analogy of Chinese is, Westerner. Lets me list some common features between them.

1. there are many different kind of Chinese, who lives in different countries.
2. there are many different countries, who is form and rule by Chinese.
3. Chinese speaks different languages
4. Chinese is NOT ALL Asian, as Westerner is not ALL European.

the 1st point don't have to mention. it is just like there are many westerners around the world. But one thing is, china people really love to group together. they like to form China town. However, may be westerners like to "colonized" the whole place, or make some "controlled area", which does not obey the local law and reign. so, there is no need for "england town" or "german town". may be it reflected the difference nature between chinese and westerner.

the 2nd point, Singapore, Taiwan, are 2 country who is formed by Chinese people. Although Taiwan is not a "country", but she has everything a country have, even more like a country then Palestine, or Monte Carlo. Just like Westerner, they have US, France, England, German, etc. 

one particular point i want to raise in here is, The so called "One China" is only from the dictator of PRC (people republic of china), or so called "mainland" china. In fact, the "One China" concept of PRC is Cultural. when PRC said anything about Chinese or China, she means everyone who genetically and cultural chinese all over the world. And this is very dangerous from a dictator. because it means, every "chinese" in this board sense should listen to PRC, the dictator. and in War time, you can imagine. (the sad thing is, some idiot believing in. it is hard to imagine all westerner from a single country.) anyway, there should not be "one china" and "one china" is not a real situation. 

(while PRC love to modernize as much as westerner, the dictators love to have rocket, satellites, more is better. but the number of Chinese countries, more is not better, in their point of view. )

However, in fact, Chinese is very diverge, as diverge as westerner. in chinese history, about 2500 years ago, china is very much like european, there are many countries. however, once after unified, it stay unified for ever. i don't know why. The main difference between chinese history and european history is, china is from many to one. while european is one to many (roma empire to many countries and state). 

you may think, then, chinese was enjoying peace fro more 2500 years. i tell you, not, we suffered from the war of changing dynasty, which controlled by 1 single family. in average, every dynasty can last for 200 to 250 years. in each dynasty, the first 50 years may be a peaceful time. and then, a long corruption occurred. and it repeated for at least 8 times. Chinese people never learn there is a problem in this political structure.

OK, back to the topic.

the 3rd point is, languages. There is no language call chinese, as there is no language call "westernese". 3 major speaking language among chinese people are, Mandarin, Cantonese and Fujian. Mandarin is, in fact, a foreign language 1000 years before, who speaks by the northern area of china. at that time, a primary society formed from Norman. And the corruption of former dynasty gives chance for those norman took over northern china. Then people changed their language and mixed with it. Cantonese and Fujian is a direct off-spring from ancient and original chinese language, they keep a lot pronunciations. therefore, when people using Cantonese and Fujian to speak poems of ancient china, the sound is more accurate and get the rhythm correctly. Now, Mandarin is spoken by northen part of  "mainland" china and Taiwan. and Cantonese and Fijian were spoken by southern part and oversea (Singapore, Mayasia, China towns over the world). However, as PRC keep "exporting" students oversea, you may found more and more "chinese" speak mandarin. 

the 4rd point is, Chinese is a cultural mean or genetic mean. chinese culture dominated the east part of asian for long time, and make influence to many other countries nearby. however, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, etc, has their own culture as well. And people from southern part of china, they more like adventure, can take risk and populate around the south Asia and the world. i guess it is so called "meme" is social science. Chinese not only pass the genetic features to their child, but also the meme. that make chinese think similar. never the less, through education, these changed. however, i never met a chinese, who totally unfamiliar with chinese culture, as if he is raised by westerner. No, never met one. 

at last, Chinese - Westerner analogy will give you a sense on how diverge "Chinese" are. As a HongKonger, i strongly think it is a insult when other mainland chinese regard me as same as them. Just like a Franch is regarded as British by Bristish people ( i am not sure are they now hate each other as much as the past ). We are so different! you speak "Mandarin", a foregin language which is spoken by invader, an you think it is "Chinese"! just like a robber rob your mom and you now call him father!