At The Globe and Mail, Andrew Steele argues that the national identities of China and the USA are underpinned by complex—and similar—mythologies:
According to the official history, China is the world’s oldest continuous civilization, a special and exceptional place with a mandate from heaven. It enjoyed its rightful place as the leader of all nations until it was undermined by foreigners in the 19th century. This exploitation was finally thrown off by a glorious revolution of the people. Some minor mistakes were made, but the evidence is clear that the plan is working, and prosperity and greatness are now the birthright of every Chinese.
Like all myths, it is just true enough.The accuracy of the grand Chinese myth is not as important as its practical effect. The people of China believe they are exceptional. They are unique and important and special, and it is because of their nation. They are a shining city on a hill.
While many other countries are patriotic and some are chauvinistic, few possess a true sense of manifest destiny. In fact, the only other country with a similarly overpowering sense of national purpose is the United States.
The myth of the American Dream and their own sense of exceptionalism drive the subconscious reflections of many Americans about their country, and they are as loosely related to reality as the myths of the Chinese … Both nations feature fierce and growing disparity in wealth, a thrusting international posture and, perhaps most dangerously, a belief in their own inevitable greatness drawn from mythology. A clash between the two could be inevitable if both claim a mandate from heaven.
