Based on the compilation of a large geocoded annual data series of political regimes and incidences of warfare between 221 BC and 1911 AD, we provide both qualitative and quantitative evidence to show that the mythical historical Chinese rests in a tripartite synthesis of China’s unique geography (of environmental circumscription), ideology (of a single unified ruler for all) and institution (of direct administrative rule). By classifying our data sets into two types of regimes - agrarian and nomadic – and three types of warfare– agrarian/nomadic, agrarian/agrarian, and internal rebellions – as fought between and within the two regimes, our econometric exercise shows that the unity is forged through nomadic-agrarian warfare which leads to a reduction in the number of agrarian regimes but an increase in their territorial size. Our paper also provides the first direct quantification of ideology based on the application of the latest textual analytical tool of Python to the Classical Chinese primary sources.