| China is one of the most biologically diverse countries. The traditional knowledge related to the biological diversity of ethnic minorities plays a very positive role in the sustainable utilization of resources and the protection of biodiversity. Different ethnic groups have their own ways to use the natural environment. These ways of living not only create the unique culture of these groups but also have great effects on the protection, development and utilization of the biological diversity. Recently the protection of traditional knowledge has become a critical issue in the field of international biodiversity conservation. Lijiang, northwest of Yunnan, has extremely abundant biological resources, and Naxi people, one of the 55 minorities in China, have been living here and created their own traditional knowledge with unique life style and national culture for more than 500 years. Although traditional knowledge is still in use in some areas, most of traditional knowledge was just preserved through oral ways without text records. Due to the penetration of foreign culture and the impacts of modern civilization, traditional knowledge is suffering from an unprecedented threat. To protect and rescue the rich and unique genetic resources and related traditional knowledge therefore becomes an urgent task today.Based on the perspective of cultural anthropology and national ecology, this study conducts approaches such as interview, questionnaire, and correlation analysis to collect and analyze data. Naxi Autonomous County in Northwest Lijiang City was selected as the research area to examine the inheritance and development of traditional diet of Naxi people.Based on the catalog of the Naxi traditional knowledge, three key aspects of Naxi traditional diets are highlighted:1. After long-term production life Naxi people formed their own traditional knowledge, including the use of Naxi traditional genetic resources, traditional medicine knowledge, traditional production technology, traditional culture and traditional symbol of geographical products. This study preliminary colleted and categorized 386 entries of Naxi traditional knowledge through literature review and fieldwork survey. The numbers in each categorie are:traditional genetic resources (132), traditional medicine (164), traditional technology and production and life style (30), traditional culture (36), and traditional geographical indications products (30).2. This study specifically focuses on the investigation of Naxi traditional diet. Survey results show that traditional Naxi common edible resources cover crops 28,3 kinds of oil-bearing crops,32 kinds of vegetables,25 species of fruits,9 species of edible fungi,9 kinds of livestock, fish three a total of 109 species of traditional edible biological resources. The survey data is extracted from Naxi preservation and traditional edible biological and the Naxi traditional diet knowledge characteristics from traditional banquet catering form, traditional festival diet and its culture meaning, edible methods, edible function of the four aspects of the knowledge of the diversity of Naxi traditional consumption.3. By conducting a survey of 217 people, the knowledge of Naxi traditional edible biological resources and consumption is not well preserved. In addition, Naxi traditional diet structure has changed during the past twenty years. Younger generations are getting unfamiliar with the processes of making traditional Naxi food. Lack of understanding of Naxi tradition nowadays becomes a great crisis. But there are still 40% of local residents who hold positive attitudes on the preservation of Naxi culture and think that should be vigorously developed.On the basis of research and investigation, this study higlhights the importance of Naxi traditional knowledge and examines urgent issues such as protection and inheritance. This study thus analyzes local conditions andproposes suggestions to better protect and promote Naxi traditional knowledge in the future. |
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