Self-Being Generation and Self-Consciousness Construction: The Historical Narrative Logic of the Xingyiquan in the Context of the Chinese Nation

In the context of the Chinese nation, Xingyiquan has been widely spread by protecting the country and its people in times of crisis as well as maintaining social stability, thereby acclaimed as a "national art". It serves as a microcosm of the synchronous and interactive formation process of Chinese wushu and the concept of the Chinese nation. From the perspective of historical sociology, the study, using the methods of process tracing and narrative analysis, concludes that the historical narrative of Xingyiquan embodies a narrative logic similar to the formation of the concept Chinese nation: during the historical period of its self-being generation of the Chinese nation, the historical narrative of Xingyiquan, condensed in the individual lives of its masters, progressively and interconnectedly aligned with the Chinese nation narrative in terms of world views, national views, family views and life views. During the epoch of the self-consciousness construction for the Chinese nation, the historical narrative of Xingyiquan mirrors the self-reflection and reconstruction of the Chinese nation's self-awareness, spanning from its philosophy to social engagement. The review of the historical narrative of Xingyiquan from the perspective of the Chinese nation highlights its contemporary significance in investigating wushu's historical role and future potential within the development of Chinese national identity.