Exploring Guizhou Local Knowledge From History And Cultural Perspective: Through Symbols And Rituals

Examining the local cultures of Southeastern China (Guizhou Province) and based on my more than 10 years of ethnographical field research in the area, this study conducts a multi-levels and multi-perspectives research on Guizhou mountain areas’social and religious rituals and symbolist expressions in architecture, clothes, music, dance and Nuo-drama. Built upon this research and borrowing the theories and methods of Clifford Geertz’s interpretational anthropology, this study presents a thick description and interpretation of Guizhou local culture starting from the perspectives and its local owners and further set forth the concept of Ten-thousand Islands of Cultures. Specifically, this study explores the issue of cultural diversity at these three levels: 1)diversity in cultural cognitive; 2) diversity in cultural ecology; and 3) diversity in cultural freedom.This study proves that ten-thousand islands of cultures or diversity in local knowledge systems and their harmoniously being different and inter-dependently growing and prosperous reality, come from the communication and tolerance among the sub-cultural systems and it is the result of realizing cultural freedom and cultural right. Cultural freedom is the foundation of cultural diversity and it is one of the most important qualities of basic human right and one of the principles and tools we must no abandon. Respect and protect cultural freedom and cultural right, carry out the policy of multi-culturalism, and work hard on eliminating misunderstandings, discriminations and conflicts caused by differences in nations, languages and religions is basic to protecting cultural diversity, and realizing harmonious and sustainable development in today’s world.This study also proves that the core of culture is thought or mode of thinking and thinking freedom creates cultural freedom. Because people think differently, they create different cultures. Development in thoughts promotes development in cultures. Cultural diversity depends on thought diversity and though diversity leads to cultural diversity.The goal of this study is promote that, based on equality, cultural freedom and cultural right, we can help and encourage the owners of local knowledge in ethnic minority poverty stricken areas to select the right and effective methods and approaches to protect their own cultures, grow their self-determent development capacities and avoid the attacks and damages to local traditional cultures during the commercialization and inappropriate and unbalanced urbanization process.