Abstract:Abstract: Studies of identity from the pragmatic perspective have experienced a shift from essentialism to constructivism, in which researchers have generally reached consensus that the focus should be set on discursive process of identity and its construction rather than the discourse product. This approach, however, more or less neglects the characteristics of identity in different cultures. This article argues that identity in Chinese culture needs to be operated and interpreted in guanxi space which is the essence of understanding identity rhetoric in Chinese culture. Identity rhetoric in guanxi space, i.e., identity rhetoric is regulated and operated in the sphere space of four-dimensional quadrants of vertical and horizontal axes, and the identity rhetoric in any quadrant can reflect the agency of interlocutors. We further argue that identity rhetoric in guanxi space embodies the interpersonal pragmatic characteristics of Chinese culture, overcomes the neglect of the third party in the past pragmatic analysis, and constitutes the contribution of Chinese indigenous culture to international pragmatics.
Key words: identity in guanxi; identity rhetoric; guanxi space; Chinese culture; indigenous study