Dissolution And Reconstruction Of Local Identity Of Urban Minority Communities

In the production process of modern urban space,The urban landscape is changing with each passing day In the process of pursuing more benefits,cleanliness and modernization in urban planning,the historic ethnic minority communities in the dirty cities in the past often face the process of local destruction,elimination and reconstruction.Accompanied by this process is the change of man-land relationship in this space and the risk of the place identity of residents.Through daily living or settlement,people constantly repeat their experience of the place.In the case of local destruction,the mode of inhabitation changes.How to maintain the inheritance of the local characteristic culture of ethnic minorities by reconstructing the place identity in the new era has become an important issue to be studied urgently.Based on the case study of the disintegration of Shanyitang Hui monastery in Kaifeng City,this paper comprehensively uses the methods of literature analysis,field investigation and in-depth interviews to analyze the local destruction,the change of local identity and how to construct the local identity in the new period of Kaifeng Shaanxi migrant Hui community under the influence of modernity.The study finds that the old city reconstruction often destroys the place where the urban minorities live,resulting in the local residents unable to resettle their sense of belonging,and significant changes will take place based on the local identity of residence or settlement.In the case of Shanyitang Hui community,the only mosque buildings left after urban renovation have become an important link to maintain the local identity of local residents.On the one hand,modernity or urban transformation has changed their original spatial structure and function.On the other hand,the people’s emotional experience based on this particular place has also changed along with this process.In this process,the people’s sense of belonging and identity to the place has changed.There are dynamic changes and differentiated identities.Before the transformation of the urban minority communities,the dwelling space was used as the criterion or coordinate of the local and self-identity,while the local identity of the scattered people in Houfang was characterized by diversity.It is precisely because of the remains of mosque architecture that the local residents have the opportunity to remodel the place,reconstruct the local cultural symbols,shape the memory space and construct the local imagination,so as to realize the reconstruction of local identity.Through the discussion on the dissolution and reconstruction of the local identity of the Shanyitang mosque,the following conclusions are drawn:(1)The disintegration of place identity by modernity is mainly manifested in the destruction of the locality itself and the impact on the daily activities of the residents,especially the local experience and influence of the elderly.On the contrary,while modernity has dispelled the original place,it has also created a clean and tidy place full of modernity and commercial atmosphere.Based on the local cultural heritage,the elderly actively seek for a sense of identity and belonging to the original place,while the younger generation is more inclined to identify with a modern,new community.(2)Based on the fact that the place identity is not unchanged,it will change with the changes of the times,social and economic development and other external factors.Residents’ sense of belonging and identity to a certain place is always in a dynamic process of change.Local significance and complexity of local culture also make the local internal identity full of differences.(3)Although the foundation of place identity has been eliminated in the process of urban spatial production and reproduction,as long as there are still cultural relics in this place,place identity can be reconstructed with various meanings,which is of great significance to the maintenance and inheritance of the traditional culture with local characteristics of urban minorities.(4)The urban Hui community is undergoing a process of change from closed to open,from settlement to diaspora and mixed living,and the place identity of the residents is constantly changing.Although the modernized community does not distinguish between ethnic groups,beliefs and occupations,and forms a new and good-neighbourly relationship of national equality in the correct national policy and good social and economic atmosphere of the country,the centralization and imbalance of mosque distribution in Kaifeng Inconvenience caused by daily life.Therefore,when rebuilding urban minority blocks,we should fully consider the ethnic customs and living habits of ethnic minorities,such as centralized resettlement of Hui communities,according to needs,we can plan and build new mosques and other service facilities.