Nationality Identification And Ethnic Identity

In this paper, it maintains a dialectical point towards the formation and change ofidentity of ethnic group, discarding a single primodialist or instructmentalist approach.It is important to trace descent or other “fundamentals” related to determine the originthen to maintain identity, but only in the context of competition for resourcesallocation, ethnic identity will be highlighted. We must concern about social side aswell as its cultural side.This paper seeks to make empirical research based on field data of Taiwan Villagein Dengzhou, Henan province, using the perspective of historical memory to solvesuch a problem: why “Taiwan Village” a migration village of the late Ming and earlyQing Dynasty village highlights Gaoshan ethnic identity in recent years. Identityconstruction of Gaoshan ethnic group in “Taiwan Village” is a course of substracting,strengthening and practicing of foundation of history and culture.This paper explains the “foundation” that “Taiwan Village”, as a modern term, ispart of “Fujian camp” in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty and “Fujian camp”includes region, memory and culture of “Taiwan Village”; The border expression“eight surnames, seven family” and genealogies contain the origin and ancestry’simagination; On the other hand, forces on the identity construction, that is how theelite “push”: writers’ advocacy, descent identification, tourism development andnationality change, in which national discourse “minority is not less” is a critical force.At the same time, the paper pointed out some problems in the process of nationalityidentification, policy and benefits does influence ethnic identity.Compared with previous studies, the paper showed the course of practice of theelites, in which memory of the ethnic groups were chosen, and strengthened. Itenables us to reflect on the features of the ethnicity construction in the contemporary.we should pay attention to the situation and the way in which the elites participate aswell as cultural heritage.This paper proved that Taiwan has all kinds of connectionswith Mainland, research on ethnic minorities in Taiwan and Gaoshan minority inMainland is very important and need to be further deepened.