1. Performing
Ethnicity in China
Rosa Llamas
Russ Belk
12th ISMD International Conference on Markets and Development
Casablanca, Morocco. May 21-25, 2012

2. Miao Hui
Han (91%)
Zhuang Manchu Lisu
Uyghur
Yi Mongol
Tujia Tibetan Buyei
Han (91%) Bai Lhoba
Dong Korean
Yao
Li
Hani Gaoshan
Kazakh
She Gelao
Dai
Dongxiang
56 Chineseethnicities
Lao
Shui Quiang Mulao
Va Nakhi Tu
Daur Jingpo
Kyrgyz Xibe Blang
Salar Tajik
Maonan Nu
Gin
Pumi Ewenki Jino
Achang Yugur
Uzbek
De’ang Bonan Russian
Monba Derung
Oroqen
Chinese Hezhen
Tatars Undistinguished

3. Commonterritory
Ethnicgroup Commonlanguage
Commoneconomiclife
(Stalin, 1913, 35)
Common culture
Sun Yat-Sen (founder of China) China as a great family
Mao Zedong Struggle about class, not ethnicity
“It is imperative to foster good relationships between the Han
people and the minority nationalities. The key to this question
lies in overcoming Han chauvinism” (Mao, 1966: 111).
Ethnicity became prominent Nationality classification system (minzushibie)

4. Distinctivedress
Architecture M
I
Religion
N
Foods O
R
Dances I Ethnictourism
T
Handicrafts I
E
Lifestyles S
Other cultural characteristics
UnitingChinesediversepopulation
Harmony Promotinggoodethnic
Chinese Confucianism Order Relations

5. Two multi-ethnic folk villages Shenzhen
Shangri-La Kunming
Fieldwork Tibet
Ethnic performances Beijing
PRC’s 60th anniversary 2009 Hong Kong
Examine the way in which ethnic mironity
Objectives villages are being marketed in China and some
of their cultural impacts

6. Ethnic
Minority
Villages tour
Touristified
visits to local
families
Extensive
commercial
packaging
Homestay at Tibetan home

7. 60th anniversary celebrations
Fifty-six Pillars of Ethnic Unity
I love China/Brothers and sisters from 56 ethnic groups of China
speak out the same sentence with 56 tongues… 56 tongues in
unison form a sentence/I love China/To China/People march
forward courageously/I love China/To build up our country/I love
China/China is marching gallantly

8. FRONT REGION
PERFORMANCE IN SHEZHEN FOLK VILLAGE

9. Authentic
traditions are
Han Chinese reap blurred Minorities:
most of its backward and
economic benefits primitive
Promote
stereotypes
Invented Performances ofethnicity
C
choreographed
dances
Exoticized
Acculturation
view of their
communities
Comercialization
Misrepresentation

10. Thank you
谢谢 (xiéxié)