Naxi Students' National Identity Construction and Schooling: A Case Study of Lijiang No.1 Senior Secondary School (Case Study‪)‬

The education system in China is an instrument that is used for nation-building. Students are taught to be loyal to the state and to identify with the Chinese nation rather than only with their ethnic groups. The school assists the state in legitimising the ideology of the dominant group as being in the interest of the entire population by educating the students about the nation's history and constructing a Chinese identity. In particular, for minority groups, the school attempts to integrate them into the mainstream culture and the nation. According to Fei, the long process of economic and cultural exchange has bonded the people of China closely together, and an interdependent relationship of development has been established among all groups. (1) The government has stated that all ethnic groups share a common destiny and have created a strong force of affinity and cohesion. (2) The Chinese identity is multiple-layered and is reinforced by the government not only in spectacular events such as the Olympic Games and space exploration, but also in the school curriculum and daily educational activities. At school, ethnic minority students learn to make sense of "who I am". Around the world, "Ethnic identity has been conceptualised as a complex construct including a commitment and sense of belonging to one's ethnic group, positive evaluation of the group, interest in and knowledge about the group, and involvement in activities and traditions of the group." (3)