源于春秋战国时期的“大一统”天下观是历经战乱的古代中国人对国家类型的期盼。后经秦汉统一王朝的实践，最终上升为中国历朝历代的治国之本。以后中国人又在“分久必合、合久必分”且统一多于分裂的实践中使得“大一统”观念深入从天子到庶民的血脉之中。自然而然，受“大一统”天下观的影响，边疆统一、国家认同、以和为主便成为中国边疆观念的核心和边疆治理的目标。为了达到这一目标，守中治边、因俗而治、多元一体便成为中国边疆治理的方略。对今天边疆治理的启示则是：“大一统”天下观仍然是边疆治理的指导思想，坚持民族区域自治制度是因俗而治的延续，文化多元与政治一体是统一多民族国家的理性选择。
The “unified” world view bud in spring and autumn and warring states period is the ancient Chinese expect about the type of countries after the war. After the practice of the qin and han dynasties’ unified，it rise to the Chinese dynasties’ statecraft Eventually. Then the Chinese Make the concept of “unified” deeply rooted in the hearts of everybody by the practice of the world’s division and unify. Naturally，affected by “unified” world view，frontier unity，national identity，world peace becomes the core of the Chinese frontier idea and the target of borderland governance. In order to achieve this goal，keeping the central region and administrate borderlands，Ruling according to customs，and pluralistic integration have become China’s borderland governance strategy. It has revelation to borderland governance now：The “unified” world view is still guidelines of borderland governance；Adhere to the regional national autonomy system is the continuation of common and rule；Cultural diversity and the political integration is the unified multi-ethnic China’s rational choice.
