[Retric]

People defiantly get taught to make such connections and people therefore do feel a connection. But all that proves is propaganda works.

It’s no more accurate to trace China’s history through prior empires covering it’s approximate borders as it is to it through the British empire which ruled some of it’s current territory, subjugated them, and still has a huge influence on current culture. The obvious reason to do so is to suggest a shared cultural identity.

Even just trying to pick which empires to include as Chinese is completely arbitrary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri_66ztYa5o.