accepts J. V. Stalin’s Marxist definition of nation, but disagrees with his inference that a nation could not be formed in precapitalist stage. This inference, the paper alleges, is correct for Europe but not completely so for the rest of the world. By focusing on the four characteristics of a nation posed by Stalin and summing up the historical development of ancient Chinese economy, politics and culture, the paper demonstrates that as far back in the Qin-Han period, the Han nationality had already possessed these four characteristics and formed a stable community of people. accepts JV Stalin’s Marxist definition of nation, but disagrees with his inference that a nation could not be formed in precapitalist stage. This inference, the paper alleges, is correct for Europe but not completely so for the rest of the world. By focusing on the four characteristics of a nation posed by Stalin and summing up the historical development of ancient Chinese economy, politics and culture, the paper demonstrates that as far back in the Qin-Han period, the Han nationality had already possessed these four characteristics and formed a stable community of people.