Stone Forest In Yunnan Ashima Cultural Transformation In The Process Of Modernization And Reconstruction Study

The research mainly focuses on the fact that the minorities culture in China (specificly refers to the culture of Sani, a branch of Yi people living in Shilin county, Yunnan) is being reconstructed in the process of modernization.Based on the long-term and extensive investigation as well as the accumulation and thinking of the executive administration experience in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, the author takes such opinion that the reconstruction of the minorities culture is both the contemporary subject and the historic development opportunity. The ethnic groups have ever come across such problems, therefore it is a great help to the research to sort out the minorities culture and history.Taking the Sani culture of Shilin Yi Autonomous County in Yunnan as an example, the author makes an analyses and research on the history of Sani people and the processing of their culture. After studying a great many of historic materials, books and unearthed relics, he summarize the Sani culture in Yunnan as Ah Shi-ma culture. He points out that the traditional Sani culture comprises four types, namely the hill culture represented by Mizhi woods and Mizhi Festival, the fire culture by fire pray and Torch Festival, stone culture by stone worship and Zulin-Bimo (priests) culture. The author comprehensively explains the four psychological features deposit in the traditional Sani culture, that is therational tragedy consciousness, the ideal of searching for Utopian home Ah Zhuo-di, the wise lifestyle rooted from migration and creativity, the open mind to face nonnative culture.Thoroughly studying the history of the exchanges between Sani culture and nonnative culture, the author found out the rules worthy of reference when reconstructing Ah Shi-ma culture during the process of modernization. He also put forward his own opinion on the problem of Ah Zhuo-di and the resources of Sani which have been disputing in the academic circles for a long time.After studying the fact that the minorities' culture was reconstructed in different historic periods, the author thinks it a necessity to know the difference of civilization stages before taking any steps. During the transition period from traditional agriculture to modern industry it is hard to establish out of the native culture a system of politics, economy and law to promote modernization. Only by using for reference the excellency of the civilization which were commulated around the world, especially in western world during the past hundreds of years can we establish a system that promote the modernization in the places inhabited by ethnic groups. The author points out that in order to adapt to the process of modernization, the minorities culture must be melt with Confucian culture and western culture to realize its transformation and reconstruction (tri-variation theory) and form the minority culture which is based on modernization and takes the form of native culture. In other word, try to form a culture that share both the material base ofmodernization and the traditional features of ethnic groups, in the meantime to vitalize and promote the development of society. The author puts forward such train of thoughts to joint the minorities' culture with the concrete industries and put it into practice, which improves a tentative success.