The Han Chinese, the Ming Dynasty, and the Chinese are actually an ever-expanding national identity. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info, ybdu, oh, at least in the greater East Asia region for now. The Han Chinese should be the narrowest starting point for this national identity, but it also includes hundreds of millions of people! And the people of the Ming Dynasty are an extension of this national identity, well, don't say that the state and the nation are two different concepts, although the current Ming Empire is a multi-ethnic country, but Emperor Zhu pursued a reactionary policy of national integration - of course, the revolutionary Leninist policy of national autonomy has not yet emerged. Now the great powers of the world want to merge their different peoples into one nation, and the rulers of the countries that cannot do it are having a headache.

The search for differences in a nation that has already been merged and to divide it into several peoples is almost synonymous with asking for trouble. The imperialists of this world would not do that. Emperor Zhu was no exception, of course, and what he was now pursuing was a policy of merging multiple ethnic groups into one. The first is to integrate the people of the Ming Dynasty, including the Han Chinese, into one family. Then it is to integrate the people of the various subject countries of the Ming Dynasty into this nation. Next, it is to merge all the people in the entire Greater Chinese cultural circle into one nation. Finally, on the basis of this great Chinese nation, which was formed by the fusion of all ethnic groups that identify with Chinese culture and are relatively similar in blood, a closer united empire was formed, which tended to be consistent in economic, cultural and national identity.

In fact, this trend of great integration of East Asian peoples has already begun. The first to be integrated as a whole was the ruling nation of the Western Qing Dynasty, the Eight Banners of the past, and the Han people of the Western Qing Dynasty now. Including Korea, Mongolia, Yamato, Ryukyu, Tibet and some ethnic groups in the southwest of the Ming Dynasty that are not strong. Now they have all begun a slow process of integration with the Han people. And the Ming Empire was going to take it in Annam. In fact, it is also a policy of ethnic integration. And compared to the "national integration policy" of the Mongols back then. It's still a lot milder.

After Zhu Jishi finished talking about his final plan, he looked at Zuo Zongtang and Han Si with a slight smile: "Okay, my bottom has been revealed to you." Our generation should have achieved such a goal, and we should be able to achieve it...... The national consciousness has been on the rise of Europeans for hundreds of years, but we have always been vague in the East. For example, Japan and North Korea now consider themselves to be part of China. Broadly speaking, we are also a family. In Europe, the concept of nation is also broad and narrow, such as the Russian and Slavic peoples, the Germanic peoples and the Aryan peoples. The concept can be equally large or small. Here in the East, for thousands of years, China has been the dominant country, and Japan, Korea, the Ryukyus, and even Annam can be said to be the Chinese branches. Now is the time to establish the national consciousness of East Asia, whether it is Greater China in a broad sense or all ethnic groups in East Asia in a narrow sense. It's up to us how we do it. ”

Originally, this concept of nationality was to comprehensively consider many factors such as culture, language, country, ancestry, and belief. Such as the ethnic groups of East Asia. It can be said that they are members of the Chinese cultural circle, they all use Chinese characters, and they are either Ming or Ming vassal states in terms of national identity, and their bloodlines are relatively similar, and their beliefs are similar. Historically, the reason why East Asian ethnic groups were divided was entirely because China, as the core of East Asian civilization, was too weak. And now with the strength of the Ming Empire, it is not easy to integrate all the races, and it is indeed not much difficult. If there is any difficulty, at most we will use some Mongolian-style methods of ethnic integration.

Zuo Zongtang has actually been thinking about this issue. The "Tang Dynasty Meteorology" he proposed was not untargeted. At present, in the Ming Empire, there are indeed two special ethnic groups. One is, of course, the Japanese - the Ming Empire seems to be the second motherland of the Japanese, and there are really a few Japanese who serve the Ming country and Emperor Zhu himself. The Japanese volunteers in the Ming Army have now remained around 100,000 for a long time! And Zhu Jishi's harem is also full of maids, female officials and concubines from Japan.

Another ethnic group with a special status is the Mongols. Because the previous war against Russia required the assistance of the Mongols, Zhu Jishi convened a Kuritai conference, and asked the Mongol tribes of Monan and Mobei to elect him as the Great Khan of all Mongolia, and he was also honored as Tengger Khan. And this Mongolian Great Khan has naturally become the second title of the Ming Emperor, which makes people feel as if the Ming Dynasty is a dualist empire. At present, Zhu Jishi, the Mongolian Khan who is more powerful than Genghis Khan, is of course not alive, and the Mongols are relatively peaceful, but what will happen in the future is really hard to say......

Thinking of this, Zuo Zongtang said with a solemn expression: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the integration of East Asian nationalities should be the top priority in Mongolia and Japan. As long as Mongolia is of the same mind as me, the northwestern frontier will be foolproof. And if the Japanese are one with me, there will be no race in East Asia that can compete with us. ”

Zhu Jishi nodded, this Zuo Zongtang is really insightful. In fact, the complete Chineseization of Mongolia and Japan was the next step for Zhu Jishi, and it was even more important than the war to conquer Annam.

"Zuo Xiang, I'm already thinking about these two things." Zhu Jishi took a few steps with his hands behind his back, "I am going to go on a tour of Japan after the South American War is over, so as to push Japan closer to China. Then, I will also patrol the Xingrehe River and convene another Kuritai Conference to promote Mongolia's integration into China as the Great Khan of Mongolia. Zuo Xiang, these two trips are very important, you must arrange them for me. ”

Zuo Zongtang even claimed that he had just wanted to talk to Emperor Zhu about some specific strategies (strategies for national integration) when he heard a rush of footsteps, followed by a report by Weng Tongyong, the minister of the imperial study.

"Your Majesty, a telegram from Commander Luo of the Annan Group Army, the Nanyang Fleet has discovered that a British fleet has left the port of Jiading Mansion in Annam."

"The British fleet?" Zhu Jishi frowned, "These Brits......"

Zuo Zongtang's face suddenly became gloomy, and he said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the British must have taken away Ruan Phuc Anh, the king of Annam!" ”

Han Si snorted coldly: "This waste, just go, let's not be uncommon with him!" ”

Zhu Jishi shook his head slightly, "It's still a step slower...... The British have got a strange thing this time! ”

At this time, in the British Straits Settlements Governor's House in Singapore, Zhu Jishi's old friend, in fact, became the Governor-General of British India because of Zhu Jishi's butterfly effect. The Earl of Churchill had just arrived. Qiu Fatzi frowned, sitting in the small living room of the Governor's Mansion in Singapore, swallowing clouds. It is said that the fat man is now the time for the spring breeze to be proud. He was already the Viceroy of India in his forties, and if nothing else, he would be eligible for the title of Prime Minister of the British Empire in 10 years at most. But I don't know how to do it today, the gloom on his face is so thick that it can't be dissolved. Even the new Governor of the Straits Settlements, Wil, was sitting next to him. Hemmingdu was full of muttering.

This fat man has always been happy in the past, but now that he is in a high position, why is he sad all day long? The situation in the British Empire has not yet reached such a point, has it?

"Will, have you found the kid named Kuhito Iwakura?" Robert. Churchill took a sharp drag on his cigar and suddenly asked.

"He had lived in Singapore for nine years, having been brought to Singapore in 1855 by the wife of Mr. Baker, the former British Minister to Japan." Will. Hemming looked at the fat man with some confusion, "Robert, is this kid of any special value?" According to Baker's report, his father was no more than the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Japan, Iwakura Kushi, and he did not seem to be a particularly important figure. ”

Qiu Fatzi spat out the smoke and said lightly: "But someone sent an anonymous letter to Whitehall, saying that this child is an extremely important person, and if he uses it well, it is likely to change the future political direction of Japan or New Japan." (To be continued.) )