This is a collection of scholarly papers by four scholars from Xiamen University. The book is divided into four modules, focusing respectively on case studies among the Alxa Mongols (阿拉善蒙古), the Tibetan communities of Qinghai (青海藏区), and the Shui people (水族) of Guizhou (贵州). Although these four parts examine different subjects, they collectively offer a multidimensional investigation into the core issue of "cultural memory" and "local modernization." By grounding its inquiry in tangible case studies, this work considers how, in the face of modern transformations, minority groups draw on the power of cultural memory to navigate social change, reshape their identities, and discover opportunities for survival and cultural renewal amid the pressures of local modernization.
The research for this book revolves around two central concepts: "cultural memory" and "local modernization." Cultural memory functions as the medium of collective life and social inheritance. Not only does it concern the remembrance of the past, it also underpins the construction of contemporary cultural identities and choices for the future. "Local modernization," meanwhile, refers to how specific regions or ethnic groups, within the broader contexts of globalization and nation-building, endeavor to preserve their distinctiveness even as they embrace modernity and help shape the course of modernization.
These twin concepts run throughout the volume, each evolving and manifesting differently in the various case studies. In the transformation of kingship among the Alxa Mongols (阿拉善蒙古), the interplay of cultural memory and local modernization is illuminated through the adaptation and reconstruction of feudal rule. Turning to the camel transport culture (驼运文化) in Alxa, cultural memory is revitalized and reinterpreted by integrating local rituals with the modern tourism industry. In the case of girls' education in the Tibetan areas of Qinghai (青海藏区), cultural memory is reframed through the fusion of gender education and local tradition. Finally, in the context of transmitting the Shui script (水书) in Guizhou (贵州), preserving that script is essential to reconstructing Shui cultural memory, laying a foundation for local culture's resilience in the face of modern challenges.
