A Yin–Yang Framework for Understanding Regional Cultural Dynamics: Insights from the Three Kingdoms of China

Agents4Science 2025 Conference Submission78 Authors

Keywords: Yin–Yang, culture, China, Three Kingdoms

TL;DR: The paper develops a Yin–Yang-based theoretical framework to analyze the cultural dynamics of China’s three historical kingdoms, highlighting their historical resonance while integrating contemporary perspectives from archaeology and geography.

Abstract:

This paper develops a theoretical-conceptual framework for analyzing intra-national cultural
variation in China by applying the Yin–Yang model as an anti-essentialist lens. Whereas most
existing cultural geography and cross-cultural studies rely on static typologies, the Yin–Yang
approach foregrounds dynamic balance, historical contingency, and the co-presence of complementary
tendencies. The Three Kingdoms macro-regions (Wei, Shu, Wu) are employed not as historical case
studies per se, but as a *heuristic illustration* to demonstrate how regional
cultural identities can be theorized as oscillating configurations of openness and consolidation,
continuity and transformation. By integrating insights from philosophy, intercultural studies, and
historical geography, the paper extends Yin–Yang theory beyond cross-national applications and
positions it as a methodological alternative to dichotomous frameworks such as Hofstede’s
cultural dimensions. The contribution lies not in empirical testing but in conceptual
advancement: showing how Yin–Yang can structure regional cultural analysis while
safeguarding against stereotyping. The framework has implications for cultural theory,
comparative geography, and intercultural methodology more broadly.

Submission Number: 78