Abstract: In the progress of Chinese history and culture, there are the tangles and conflicts of such two lines: the obvious one is cultural blending, and the hidden one is regional identity. Jiangnan (regions south of the Yangtze River) identity is an important phenomenon in the process of cultural blending and conflicts. What are essential for Jiangnan identity are four kinds of identity respectively in cultivation, migration, aesthetics, and spirit of freedom. They connected with the historical, social lifeline of China itself, the endogenous modern spirit, the special form of universal values, and the cultural consciousness rooted in the native land. In the age of globalization, Jiangnan identity must actually help us reconnect our land, folks, history, meaning and life. The relationship between the Jiangnan culture and Chinese spirit also remains to be unveiled.

Key words: Jiangnan identity, northern and southern cultures, spirit of freedom