Chinese Cultural Nationalism and Southern Localism
Chinese Cultural Nationalism and Southern Localism
This chapter observes that in contrast to the one-China conception in dominance now, regionalism was a key theme of early Republican Chinese politics, as there was no stable central Chinese government until Chiang Kai-shek led the Northern Expedition in 1926. It notes that the southern provinces, largely out of reach of Qing imperial control, could be used by various forces as testing grounds for new projects such as reformist experiments in building Western-style institutions and the revolutionary mobilization of migrants returned from overseas. In this regard, the southern provinces were the place where different political forces sought support from foreign powers. It notes that in contrast, the northern provinces fell under the control of traditional imperial bureaucrats and, therefore, remained relatively uncontested in cultural and political terms. It adds that the Republican Revolution of 1911 elevated the political status of the southern provinces, signaling the rise of southern influence.
Keywords: one-China conception, regionalism, Republican Chinese politics, Chiang Kai-shek, Northern Expedition, southern provinces, Qing imperial control, reformist experiments, Western-style institutions, Republican Revolution
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