Ethnic Heritage: History, Practice And Discourse Analysis

In the view of museum anthropology, this paper is focused on analyzing the history, practice and discourse of cultural relics from ethnic groups in China. Firstly, the author arranges the relevant developing history in20th century; Secondly, based on the fieldwork research in Museum of Ethnology of Minzu University of China, the author analyzes the history and discourse from the material; Finally, a new exhibiting practice of cultural relics from ethnic groups is announced as heritage-protection, which leads to the development of the future.According to the theory of anthropology and cultural heritage, the paper embodies systematic analysis and reflection on cultural relics from ethnic groups in China in the sense of the Knowledge Sociology. Centering on the developing process of the concept, discourse and practice, the author interprets the difference during different historical periods and their relationships. Furthermore, how discourse analysis and prospect being accomplished within the museum is discussed as well.Aiming at the issues mentioned above, this paper focuses on the following aspects:First, the concept and practice model of cultural relics from ethnic groups in China were presented variously during different historical periods, especially three typical periods as the period of specimens, period of cultural relics and the period of heritage protection. Secondly, the various practice models of cultural relics shows intimate connections with the historical process of anthropology in China. In this paper, based on fieldwork in Museum of Anthropology of Xiamen University, Museum of Ethnology in Central-Southern University, Museum of Ethnology in Minzu University of China and Wu Ma Yao Museum of Anthropology in Yunnan University, the author accomplishes a re-writing and interpretation of the academic tradition in anthropology of China through practice analysis in museum exhibition and cultural relic discourse.Thirdly, fieldwork in museum of ethnology is an unusual anthropological practice, leading to the research skill of museum ethnography. Aiming at relevant anthropological theory contained by the "material", the knowledge system of modern society and political discourse of nation, the display and exhibition of cultural relics from ethnic group in Museum of Ethnology of Minzu University of China are elaborated and explored.Finally, in the1980s, the discourse and practice of cultural relics from ethnic groups achieved from the form of traditional exhibition to the cultural heritage protection and the Eco-museum practice model, providing an alternative path for the future of the cultural relics from ethnic groups in China.In a word, from the macro sociological lens, discourse in the practice of cultural relics from ethnic group is addressed as a whole social fact, being rewritten and interpreted with the academic background of anthropology in China. From the micro level, with the fieldwork in Museum of Ethnology in Minzu University of China, the conceptual development of cultural relics from ethnic groups in China are described as a relatively complete field ethnography.