Teacher's Background Teacher's Background Teachers are also referred to the resource on Confucian Thought at the beginning of Philosophy and Religion section for a discussion of the Confucian tradition and its importance to the traditional Chinese state.
Chinese civilization is one of the world 's oldest continuous civilizations .
Mountains and deserts in the west of China limited its contact with other major centers of civilization in the Middle East and South Asia . China's traditional self-image was as a cultural center of the world. The Chinese thought of their culture as universalistic, that is, outsiders could join or become assimilated into it. This strong identity as a universalistic civilization has been an important unifying factor throughout China's history, even during times when the country was divided. The Chinese written language , which transcends dialects, has also been an important element fostering China's cultural unity throughout history.