The Evolutionary Game Of Ethnic Group: The Study Of Chinese Tuvinians

The boundary is the foundation for ethnic groups to come into being. Breakthrough and construction of ethnic boundaries based on geographic boundaries occur throughout social development of ethnic groups, and blurred ethnic boundaries are the precondition of the shaping of buffer zones between ethnic groups. Ethnic groups inhabiting buffer zones show socio-cultural instabilities, and the Tuva of China is not exceptional in terms of either its origin or socio-cultural traits. Either the Tuva in China or otherwise develops within the framework of game playing between bigger ethnic groups around it, and is closely associated with historical trajectories and socio-cultural situation of bigger ethnic groups around. In spite of the pursuit of ethnic identity among Tuvan elites, it is inevitable that the Tuvan socio-cultural system is deconstructed by both nation-state boundaries and modernity. Both the socio-cultural traits and permeation of evolutionary game playing in the (de)construction of the Tuva of China can be seen through the ways documented below: presentations of the Tuva of China by elites from within and without the Tuvan community; the search of historical trajectory via Tuvan oral and written history, deep description and discussion of major socio-cultural attributes, examination and analysis of the memory about the ritual of toxophily game, understanding of ethnic distinguishing and construction, reference to ethnic relationships involved, and presentation of risky society that is approaching as modernity moves forward. It is thus manifest that evolutionary game playing runs through ethnic development and is universal to all ethnic groups. The driving force behind this is the competition for self-interests and resources, the rooted concern is about protection and maintenance of socio-cultural system, and the direct causes lie in desires for development and pressures from out-groups. The socio-cultural system of an ethnic group is an evolutionary game playing process of continuing falsification, adjustment which is full of both contingency and inevitability. Among other parties, ethnic elites play an important role at all levels. Under most circumstances ethnic elites lead evolutionary game playing in spite of the fact that they would not necessarily determine the final result. In the field of evolutionary game playing, participating forces incorporate not only elites and the masses from different standpoints, locations, ages, and interest groups from within the ethnic community, but also elites from outside, and local authorities. This forms a multi-dimensional picture. Although evolutionary game playing is oriented towards future benefits, ethnic community forces, boundary distinction and ethnic cohesion are always looking for nutrition and evidence from history. Therefore, the relationship between ethnic development based on evolutionary game playing and its history is far less close than that between ethnic development and the needs for benefits under current circumstances.