Chinese Journal of Sociology

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Tradition Recreation: An Example of Kucong in Zhenyuan County, Yunnan Province

*作者:何菊武汉大学社会学系(Author: He Ju, Department of Sociology, Wuhan University)E-mail: heju119@yahoo.com.cn   

  1. *作者:何菊武汉大学社会学系(Author: He Ju, Department of Sociology, Wuhan University)E-mail: heju119@yahoo.com.cn
  • Online:2010-07-20 Published:2010-07-20
  • Contact: *作者:何菊武汉大学社会学系(Author: He Ju, Department of Sociology, Wuhan University)E-mail: heju119@yahoo.com.cn E-mail:heju119@yahoo.com.cn
  • About author:*Author: He Ju, Department of Sociology, Wuhan University

Abstract:

With its administrative power, the state has invested plenty of financial and material

resources to thoroughly change the Kucong tradition in Zhenyuan County. In the game with the state

, Zhenyuan County has capitalized on the Kucong tradition for more resources and other benefits

from the state. The local elites have designed the Kucong tradition in details, coordinated with

the local government in the game, catered in line with the policies and ideas of the state, and

established their own name. As local people, the Kucong are not the passive but the main body who

practice the tradition. In the field of “tradition recreation”, these four hierarchical forces

of state, locality, elite, and populace interact with one another, forming a relationship net

with some tension. All the four together determine the developmental direction of the tradition.

In this context, the tradition is not fractured but continuous. The tension between the four

hierarchical forces reflects the complexity of the statesociety relationship.

Key words:  tradition ,  state ,  society ,  field