She ethnic folk culture

Author: Qiu Guo Zhen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Over the past 20 years, while researching the multi-ethnic cultural circle of China and its distribution characteristics, I have particularly enjoyed reading books on ethnic history or ethnography. To understand the origins and development of a nation, I had to make efforts to judge convincing historical arguments amidst conflicting. In this process, there were often two feelings that troubled me. My first feeling is: to understand the ethnic origins of a nation, especially the history of those ethnic groups that only have their own language but no written script, can only be discerned or inferred through fragmented and seemingly unreliable records in Chinese classical literature. One theory might classify this ethnic group as a sub-group within a larger ethnic group with a "" code, labeled as "Southern Barbarians," while another theory might place it in another larger ethnic group with a "" code, labeled as "Northern Nomads." As a result, the ethnic identity of this group often remains uncertain, and they are even relegated to the margins and a subordinate position as a marginalized ethnic group, always existing at the fringes of the dominant ethnic group. Thus, in what are called "official histories," they are often discriminated against. My second feeling is: a weak and discriminated-against ethnic group, struggling to survive, always goes to great lengths and faces numerous hardships to find a living space for their ethnic group. Despite these spaces often being in extremely harsh environments, they will spare no effort to endure hardships and persist in maintaining the survival and development of their ethnic group. For this reason, these ethnic groups almost all have a tragic history of large-scale migrations, filled with blood and tears, which is both moving and admirable. Currently, the rescue and protection of intangible cultural heritage in our country are being carried out on a national scale in a planned manner. One of the inescapable responsibilities of folklorists is to play a guiding and exemplary role. Participating in field surveys for the rescue and protection of ethnic folk culture, organizing and compiling relevant literature and materials on ethnic groups, and writing scientific texts for research and investigation are all extremely important tasks. Works like She Ethnic Folk Culture are both a review and correction of She ethnic historical materials, an investigation and evaluation of all forms of She ethnic folk culture, and a comprehensive and overall assessment of the value and scientific judgment of She culture. Such a scientific text that integrates ethnic history, ethnography, and folk culture studies should be recognized as a scientific model for the guidance and exemplification of the rescue and protection of ethnic and folk culture. I believe that books like She Ethnic Folk Culture are not only significant academic works but also the best guidebooks for protecting the intangible cultural heritage of the She ethnic group. The publication of this book will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on the implementation of ethnic and folk culture protection projects.