Does China exist? One would assume that this question has a simple answer - yes, of course it does exist; an answer that all of us would more than likely jump to without a second thought. However, by looking at various sources and taking into account some key arguments the question of the existence of China and what form that takes to the individual can be scrutinised.

If we haven’t been somewhere, does it mean it doesn’t exist to us in the way that it exists to someone who actually lives in that place? Can I, having not been to China, actually disbelieve in its existence? And is my secondary and tertiary research and experience of it enough information for me to believe in this notion of China?

This essay shall, amongst other things, take Barthes text titled, The Death Of The Author and analyse it and the notion of China using some of the key theory brought up in the text. This essay will also examine the relationship between China and Chinatown for the individual.