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2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

A Cultural Anthropological Study of Local Cultures in Hainan Island

Research Project

Project/Area Number 14401008
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section海外学術
Research Field 文化人類学(含民族学・民俗学)
Research InstitutionTohoku University

Principal Investigator

SEGAWA Masahisa  Tohoku University, Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Professor, 東北アジア研究センター, 教授 (00187832)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) TSUKADA Shigeyuki  National Museum of Ethnology, Professor, 民族文化研究部, 教授 (00207333)
Project Period (FY) 2002 – 2004
KeywordsHainan Island / local culture / dialect group / Han Chinese / ethnicity / ritual / kin organization / custom
Research Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to understand the cultural traits of each dialect/ language groups which have been co-existing in Danzhou-Lingao area of northwest Hainan and to investigate the boundary maintaining mechanism among them through fieldworks in the area. Cultural complexity of Hainan Island is not merely derived from its minority inhabitants such as Li and Miao, but also from various local cultures within Han Chinese population each of which has its own distinct dialect and custom. We carried out field research in 2002 and 2003 at local communities of such dialect groups as Danzhou-hua, Jun-hua, Kejia-hua (Hakka), and Lingao-hua (Limkow or Be), and also collected some data on other dialect/language groups such as Bai-hua (Cantonese), Hainan-hua (Hainanese), Putong-hua (Mandarin), and Li-hua (Li) speakers. We found evidences of rapid change in their way of life especially in the last two or three decades. But we also noticed that language communities of each dialect gro … More up are still maintained and some distinctive cultural traits such as the way of ancestor worship or marriage custom had been kept well into the late twentieth century. There are many cases of intermarriage between different dialect groups and in addition to the dialect of their own native community, most people can use other two or three dialects depending on situation. This condition of intermarriage and multi-lingual usage is not at all recent phenomenon for inhabitants of this area. Surname associations seems to have been functioning as an important junction among dialect groups. It is remarkable that, in spite of such close interactions among different dialect groups, linguistic and cultural differences among the local inhabitants have persisted for a rather long period. But on the other hand, at least at present, none of these, groups can be seen as an ethnic group in its strict sense, because people often use many different factors such as locality, origin, and linguistic or cultural affiliation for their own identification corresponding to different social contexts. Less

  • Research Products

    (6 results)

All 2005 2004 2003

All Journal Article (4 results) Book (2 results)

  • [Journal Article] ショオ2005

    • Author(s)
      瀬川 昌久
    • Journal Title

      講座・世界の先住民族01東アジア(末成・曽編)(明石書店)

      Pages: 290-299

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] トゥチア族の成立とその民族文化表象運動2005

    • Author(s)
      瀬川 昌久
    • Journal Title

      中国の民族表象(長谷川清・塚田誠之編)(風響社)

      Pages: 331-364

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] She nationalty of China(written in Japanese)2005

    • Author(s)
      Masahisa Segawa
    • Journal Title

      First Peoples (1) East Asia(Michio Suenari and Shicai Ceng eds.)(Akashi Shoten, Tokyo)

      Pages: 290-299

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Creation of Tujia Nationality and its cultural presentation(written in Japanese)2003

    • Author(s)
      Masahisa Segawa
    • Journal Title

      Ethnic Presentations in China(Kiyoshi Hasegawa and Shigeyuki Tsukada eds.)(Fukyosha Co.,Tokyo)

      Pages: 331-364

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Book] 中国社会の人類学-親族・家族からの展望2004

    • Author(s)
      瀬川 昌久(単著)
    • Total Pages
      245
    • Publisher
      世界思想社
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Book] Anthropology of Chinese Society : A Perspective on Kinship and Family (written in Japanese)2004

    • Author(s)
      Masahisa Segawa
    • Total Pages
      245
    • Publisher
      Fukyosha Co., Tokyo
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2006-07-11  

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