Analysis of the Geographical Process of Culture (A Study on the Regional Characteristics of Fujian Culture)

Author: Lin Tuo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-18
Features: Whenever Min culture is mentioned, people often think of the Mazu belief, which is renowned both at home and abroad, the Min monks who promoted the Sinicization of Buddhism, and the Min Learning that dominated official ideology for 700 years. The Min culture has a vast direct influence, extending not only to Guangdong, Hainan, and Taiwan but also to Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. Moreover, as history evolves, it exhibits various unique regional forms, exerting different levels of influence on local cultural development. Therefore, Min culture is regarded as an important pillar of the East Asian civilization process. However, when people narrow their focus to Fujian, the birthplace of Min culture, they continually discover a series of contradictory regional manifestations in the evolution of Fujian culture itself: people from different regions of Fujian deeply feel the severe differences in dialects and customs among themselves, yet once they step outside Fujian, they exhibit common characteristics distinct from other provinces and regions, making it easier to form cultural identity. The belief in "witches and ghosts and the emphasis on (sacred rites)" is considered a sign of Fujian culture's backwardness, yet even today, in highly developed times, folk beliefs in Fujian remain vigorous, with an average of one large temple or shrine for every 600 people. The influence of Buddhism is equally profound. According to surveys from a few years ago, of the more than 5,000 Han Chinese Buddhist temples in the country, over 4,000 are in Fujian. Fujian was the first to experience the cultural confrontation between the "expanding, trade-war-fighting Western civilization" and the "agricultural-economy-based and bureaucratic-political Chinese civilization." Amid this confrontation, new ideas continuously surge forward, while Fujian's inherent culture and conservative notions possess a vitality no less than that of the inland regions. Indeed, Fujian culture exhibits a clear overall consistency, yet severe internal regional differentiation, which stands in stark contrast yet coexists. In cultural development, conservatism and openness, backwardness and progress create abrupt contrasts yet depend on each other. The unique charm and depth of these numerous complex regional manifestations have attracted the attention of generations of scholars, with Fujian scholars achieving particularly outstanding results. Reviewing this academic exploration process not only helps us establish new research foundations but also provides a crucial reference coordinate for further investigation.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part 1: Regional Hierarchy and Cultural Centers—A Study Centered on Academic Forms
Part 2: Regional Differentiation and Cultural Cycles—A Study Centered on Belief Forms