In this introductory lecture, the instructor covers administrative matters such as the syllabus, assessment, and expectations. They then spend 30 minutes discussing what China is by drawing links between ancient and contemporary China. Key points include the strong governance of the Qin dynasty, Confucianism under the Han dynasty, the open door policy of the Tang dynasty, and anti-foreign sentiments during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The lecture concludes with a 15 minute video further exploring the concept of modern China.