Inheritance and reflection: “re-study” of three anthropology fieldwork sites in China’s Yunnan Province

Abstract This article is a research report involving three anthropological studies conducted during the period of “Kuige” and their “re-studies.” By narrating project, I set forth my views on connections differences between Chinese explorations from two historical periods. These refer to study Lu Village by Fei Xiaotong, that “West Town” (Xizhou) Francis L. K. Hsu, “Pai-IPai” (Dai) villages Tien Ju-Kang. They were all completed in late 1930s early 1940s. Each writer extracted framework analyze land system, ancestor worship, relationship humans gods writer’s own field experience. Despite difference methods, noticed cultural rural society modernity. Since 2000, Peking University Yunnan Minzu have launched “Province-university Cooperation Project.” During team formed several young scholars revisited Village, (Xizhou), Namu Village. writers’ works based data acquired fieldwork drew upon opinions raised global anthropologists “re-study” recent decades. Considering dual effects social change shifts academic concepts around “follow-up research,” put forward points view with ethnographies, which featured characteristics inheritance reflection. Based results “re-studies,” this emphasizes importance public rituals for society. also attempts re-examine methodology “human ecology,” profoundly impacts anthropology sociology.