Ethnological Perspective Of The Uyghur Restaurant Culture.

Cultural adaptation and cultural changes have been a key issue for socio-cultural anthropology and extensive studies in these two areas have been done. However, there are not many studies in China on the cultural adaptation of Uyghur people, especially in the field of catering culture. In order to fill in the gap, the author of the paper selects MRJ, a high-grade Uyghur restaurant in Urumqi City, as the filed work site and the object for the analysis with attempt to display and discuss how Uyghur commercial catering culture has adapted itself to the dramatic globalization of the present world.The present study, using the theories of cultural adaptation and changes of ethnology and the methods of participatory observation and in-depth interview, displays and analyzes the foundation of cultural adaptation of Uyghur commercial catering and the rules for this adaptation with the development of catering. The author worked as a worker at the restaurant for a month and did filed work in Kashgar, Atush and Shache where there is strong and rich Uyghur culture so as to learn more about the Uyghur catering culture. All this enables the author to obtain sufficient data for the study.The paper, following diachrological and synchrological point of views, discusses the historical backgrounds of modern Uyghur catering culture and cultural adaptation in different environments, and this is achieved by descriptions of catering culture features through looking at table decorations, ethnic style and modern service manners at the restaurant. And discussion is also given on the modern adaptative dynamics through analyzing the historical ethnic background, pragmatic value of Uyghur culture and promotion from prominent figures. .One of the ancestors of modern Uyghurs, Uigurs, moved from Mongolia Highland to the Western Regions(mainly present Xinjiang) around the year 840 AD, and they adapted themselves to the new environment and multi-ethnic societies here since then. One of the results of their adaptation was that they developed their special catering culture with strong religious style. In the time of 15th century, as the regions lost its key position for communication between the eat and west, and the strong restraints of Islamism on the food system, the Uighur catering culture became weak in learning new elements form the outside and it became unchangedly preserved by the people. Now, it is looking for the point from which the traditional catering culture could meet the needs of modern changing society. This has led to an overlapping of the tradition and multi-cultural elements in the modern Uyghur catering culture. ,Against globalization, there has not been seen heavy cultural breaking in the traditional commercial Uyghur catering culture. And it is trying to preserve the tradition and to accommodate new contents and style with modern sense.The study is important in both theoretical and practical dimensions, as it aims to embody the contents and meaning of Uyghur culture by analyzing their catering culture. Also, it is hope that the present study can offer a case analysis for the studies of Uyghur culture and will be helpful in policy-making for developing Uyghur catering and catering culture.