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Efforts to Enrich the Contents ofChina's Ethnic Groups From October on, South-Central University for Nationalities (SCUN) will be a partner of the English version of China's Ethnic Groups. SCUN is situated in Central China where various ethnic groups lead a harmonious life with one another. Among the universities and colleges directly under the leadership of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, it is the only one running programs for postgraduates in foreign linguistics and applied linguistics. The university boasts a party of learned and devoted teachers as well as a large number of industrious and intelligent students from all ethnic groups around China.

According to the contract singed between the two parties, the second editorial office of this magazine is established in School of Foreign Studies, SCUN. The teachers and students there will make every effort to provide a great variety of articles and photos concerning the unique culture of different minority groups, thus making their contribution to the enrichment of contents in this magazine.

American Scholars Visited SCUN

On October 18, South-Central University for Nationalities (SCUN) welcomed an American academic delegation headed by Professor David Van Buren, vice chancellor of Platteville Campus of University of Wisconsin (UW-P). At the reception ceremony, Professor Li Buhai, Party Chairman of SCUN, and Professor Chen Dayun, president of the university made a brief introduction to the school, and then both parties reached a preliminary agreement on the cooperative education. Afterwards, Ruan Zhijian, director of Department of International Cooperation & Exchange, accompanied the American visitors around the experimental building, new library and new campus where the advanced facilities and newly-completed teaching buildings made a deep impression upon them. The following day, the leaders of College of Computer Science had another round of discussion with the American guests about undertaking a more specific cooperative program.

“Venezuela-Hometown of Bolivar” Offers Glimpse into Venezuela

"It is a wonderful gift for the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Venezuela and China. I am very pleased to see it come out in this special year, 2004," Venezuela's Ambassador to China, Gocio Maneiro Gonzalez, noted in the preface to"Venezuela-Hometown of Bolivar." She added, "it will be a wonderful book for Chinese people from all walks of life, to get a glimpse into the Bolivrian Republic of Venezuela. I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the birth of this book at this wonderful moment."

On October 22nd, 2004, a ceremony to mark the first publication of "Venezuela-Hometown of Bolivar" was held at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Speakers during the ceremony included the book's author, Yu Fengchuan; the cultural attache to the Venezuelan Embassy in China, Wilfredo Carrizales; and Gao Jianzhong, deputy general editor of China's Ethnic Publishing House. Guests from the Venezuelan Embassy, the Mexican Embassy and China's Ethnic Publishing House also attended the ceremony.

"This book offers Chinese readers vivid pictures of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a faraway, yet splendid, country," Yu said. Yu, who lived and worked in Venezuela for several years, captures vividly several aspects of the beautiful country. "Venezuela-Hometown of Bolivar" covers a range of topics -- such as the history, main cities, scenic spots, renowned national heroes and famous writers. Sponsored by the Venezuelan Embassy and published by China's Ethnic Publishing House, the book is the first publication in the series "Wandering into Latin America." Written in Chinese, the series of books will open Chinese readers' minds to other nations' cultures.

“Genealogy Record of Yehe Nala” newly completed

Na shiyuan from Benxi of Liaoning Province finally completed compiling the “Genealogy Record of Yehe Nala” after spending years in studying a large number of ancient documents and tracking the migration and the growth of the clan's ancestors about 500 years ago. The genealogy record is mostly based on “Genealogy Record of Na Clan” which was first written by Na Shoushan in 1943 and then re-compiled by his son. The newly edition records in detail the clan members' political, military and academic achievements, and includes most of the content of the genealogy record of the clan dating from 1406 to 1619. In particular, it has placed prominent emphasis on the research of the clan's history and the political career of Yehe Nala's ancestors in the Qing Dynasty. It also includes the descriptions of the 12th generation of the clan members which had not been mentioned in previous records. Experts believe that this genealogy record has proved the origin of the clan's ancestor Qimahu and uncovered the myth which had been unresolved for generations.

The celebration of the Tenth Anniversity of founding of the center on Minority Women's Studies of Central Ethnic University & The Third International Academic Seminar on Women's Development and progressTo celebrate the Tenth Anniversity of founding of the Center on Minority Women's Studies, the Third International Academic Seminar on Women's Development and Progress, was organized by the Central Ethnic University, on 16, 17, Oct. in Beijing.

About a hundred experts and scholars from home and abroad were happily gathered in the seminar. They exchanged their new achievements of scientific research.

As the first academic society that makes studies specially on Chinese ethnic women, the Center on Minority Women's Studies was founded in Jan.1994. Its foundation marked the start of the research on Chinese minority women.

For the last ten years, brought into full play of the advantages of the constellation of academic disciplines, ethnicity, ethnic talents and expertise of Central Ethnic University, the center is to promote the multi-disciplinary, pluralistic and multi-faceted theoretical researches of the Chinese ethnic women. It undertook the six ministry-level items successively, such as the research “on the way to deal with the status quo and development of the Chinese ethnic women”. In the meantime, it attracted one branch by another outstanding female ethnic professor, cadres as well as the organizations on women's studies by its good fame and glamour.

The center has built a platform for theenthusiastic experts, female teachers and female college students to display their talent by holding the theory discussion and a variety of activities.

Canadian Indigenous Arts Exhibited in China

A beautiful collection of Canadian Inuit wall hangings, titled "Culture on Cloth," was exhibited at the Capital Library in Beijing from October 12 to 22, 2004. The exhibition was composed of 19 works by women artists from Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada.

Organized by the Canadian Embassy in China and the China International Exhibition Agency, and assisted by the China Ethnic Minorities' Association for External Exchanges, the exhibition provided an excellent opportunity for Chinese people to study the artistry and culture of Canada's Inuit people. "We hope through this presentation Chinese people can further appreciate the dynamism and diversity of Canada and its aboriginal peoples," said Joseph Caron, Canadian Ambassador to China.

Followed by the exhibition, some special lectures about Canadian indigenous arts were given by Judith Varney Burch, curator of the exhibition. At the Central Ethnic University in Beijing, Ms Burch delivered a lecture, with assistance from the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

"On these textiles are recorded the activities of camp life, symbolism of shamanic rituals and the stories of the mythical heroes," Ms Burch said. "Through the wall hangings, we are able to see the essence of Inuit people's beliefs and memories. This exhibition is the record of a culture, on cloth.

Coordinating meeting of Tibetology studies held in Beijing

Organized by China Tibetology Research Centre, a coordinating meeting of Tibetology studies was held in Beijing from November 10 to 13. Over 100 experts and scholars had participated in the event and exchanged ideas on establishing an effective long-term system in coordinating the country's Tibetology and on the future development of China's Tibetology. As Lhapa Puntso, secretary-general of the China Tibetology Research Centre pointed out in his keynote speech, the achievements of China's Tibetology studies in the past five decades showed that the co-operation and co-ordination of the different Tibetology institutions and Tibetologists from all over the country has given the study more impetus and become one of the basic experiences in promoting the development of China's Tibetology. The most successful achievements in Tibetology studies are generally results of the co-operation between a large number of institutions and Tibetologists and most of the significant academic activities, in most cases, need the participation and co-ordination of each Tibetology institution. But due to the lack of co-ordination between the large amount of institutions all over the country, the advantageous resources in Tibetology studies have not been fully explored, which, to a certain extent, hampers the further development of Tibetology. Therefore, better co-ordination between Tibetology institutions has become the priority in China's Tibetology studies.

As the leading Tibetology institution in the country, China Tibetology Research Centre has striven to advance its own development and in the meantime, outlined and carried out the development strategy of Tibetan studies in the new century. The centre has taken effective measures to strengthen the co-ordination between different Tibetology institutions and played a significant role in assembling, communicating, coordinating and assisting in the field of Tibetology. It has also taken advantage of all preferable resources to refresh the studies. Lhapa Puntso stressed that better co-ordination and co-operation were key elements to unite the individual Tibetologist and ultimately to achieve more success in Tibetology studies.

The Second International Workshop of Tibet's Archaeology and Arts unveiled

On September 3, 2004 the Second International Workshop of Tibet's Archaeology and Arts raised its curtain at the China Tibetology Research Centre in Beijing. The five-day workshop was organized by the Tibetan History Culture Research Centre of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Chinese Association of Tibetan Culture Protection and Development, History Institute of China Tibetology Research Centre, China Tibetology Research Institute of Sichuan University and Tibet University, and US magazine Oriental Arts. Over 60 experts and scholars from home and abroad had attended the seminar. About 20 of them came from foreign countries like the US, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Italy and India.

“Qomolangma Award” for Chinese Tibetologists

Chinese Government will set up “Qomolangma Award”-- a national award for Tibetologists -- to push Chinese Tibetology research. As Lhapa Puntso, secretary-general of the China Tibetology Research Centre, said at a co-ordinating meeting of the national Tibetology studies that China has fostered a new generation of Tibetan scholars who are mainly young researchers of Tibet, Han and other ethnic minorities. According to Lhapa Puntso, there are about 2,000 people involved in Tibetology research, publishing Tibetan works, and other related work. The “Qomolangma Award'' will be granted every three years. Institutions, universities, academic organizations or scholars of Tibetan studies can apply for the award.

Protocultures of mid-west ethnic minorities under better protection

An academic seminar was held in Yunlong County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province from August 19 to 21, with a theme of the protocultures of ethnic minorities living in China's mid-western mountain areas. Organized by the Southwest Ethnic Minorities Research Centre of Yunnan University, Ethnology and Sociology College, and Yunlong County Government, the meeting was aimed at rescuing and protecting the endangered protocultures of the ethnic groups living in China's mid-western mountain areas. Participants of the event had made an investigative tour to Nudeng, which is one of the famous ancient villages in Yunnan. They also made extensive research about the protection of traditional clothes, folk art and architecture of ethnic groups in Yunlong. Experts and local leaders held discussions about the cultural heritage and local tourism. Over 90 scholars from China, Japan and Thailand participated in the event. They all highly praised the achievement of the meeting and believed that the meeting would be of great help in protecting the traditional culture of local ethnic minorities and it's also a successful effort to encourage the high-education college more actively involving in local development and its co-operation with local government.

Yunnan ethnic ecological villages under construction

With the US$150,000 sponsored by the Ford Foundation, the project of Yunnan ethnic ecological villages has achieved great success and had tangible impact home and abroad in the past three years. Yunnan Provincial Policy Research Department presented a report to Xu Rongkai, governor of Yunnan Province, concerning the goal and impact of the project. Up to now, scholars from the US, Britain, Germany, Nepal, Thailand, Japan and France have already gone to Yunnan to inspect the project. The third stage of project was launched in August, 2002, with an aim to build two or three more ethnic ecological villages and make them pilot villages in the province.

The pilot villages which have been completed include Baka Jino Village and Nanjian Dai Village in Xishuangbanna, Xiaji Ethnic Village in Shangrila County of Diqing Autonomous Prefecture, and Heshun Cultural Village in Tengchong County. As one of the organizers of the project, Yunnan University has published works and reports and filmed documentaries about the project's achievement. Over 10 doctors and postgraduate students of the Ethnicity Department of the university have taken part in the work.

International seminar of Mongolianology studies held in Mongolia University

The Fourth International Seminar of Mongolianology Studies was held in Mongolia University from August 17 to 19, 2004. 281 experts and scholars from 12 countries had attended the seminar, presenting over 200 papers.

The participants argued that Mongolianology studies had grown into a multi-disciplinary genre covering a growing range of topics. They said since Mongolian people had scattered around the world, where there are Mongolian people, there would be institutions of Mongolianology studies. Mongolianology studies will draw increasing attention throughout the world.

Chinese Mongolianology starting publication

Sponsored by the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences, Chinese Mongolianology will start publication in Hohhot, capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2005. The periodical is mostly based on the former Mongolian Language and Literature,a magazine which had been published since 1954 and then became the first academic journal of its kind since the founding of the autonomous region. Up to now Mongolian Language and Literaturehas published 195 issues, featuring 2,700 academic papers -- 95 per cent of them were written in Mongolian and 5 per cent were translated from English, Russian, Chinese and Japanese. Ever since its first issue, Mongolian Language and Literaturehas devoted to pushing the popularity of Mongolian language , and collecting ancient Mongolian literature works. The new journal will continue the characteristics, feature the world's latest development of Mongolian studies and showcase the achievement in most research field.

The Mongolian Encyclopedia published

Crowned as the milestone of Chinese Mongolianology studies,The Mongolian Encyclopediawill soon come out. The volumes of Military, News and Publish, and Language and Writing have been recently published by Inner Mongolia People's Publishing House. The encyclopedia is a complete reference book covering every aspect of Mongolianology studies. There is not such kind of encyclopedia ever published in other countries. TheFolk Encyclopedia of Mongolia which was once published in China only covered limited aspects. The encyclopedia, published in Mongolian and Chinese, is complete in over 20 volumes including Mongolian History, Geography, Relics and Archaeology and International Mongolian Studies, with over 70 million words and 10,000 pictures. All the volumes are expected to be completed by 2007.

With the largest population of Mongolian, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region now has become one of the major centres of Mongolianology studies in the world. In 1998 the autonomous government invested 5 million yuan on the publication of the encyclopedia. Now this book has been listed as one of priority projects by the State.

Ethnologists show concerns of cultural heritage of ethnic minorities

Professor Qi Qingfu with the Ethnic Minorities Research Centre of the Central Ethnic University suggested that the State Ethnic Affairs Commission should enhance efforts in rescuing and protecting the cultural heritage of ethnic minorities which are only a small proportion of World Heritage in the country. Qi stressed that China has a long list of World Cultural Heritage but most of the listed heritage are ancient architecture, or natural landscape. In contrast, the cultural heritages of Chinese ethnic minorities are very diverse and competitive in applying for the World Heritage list -- such as Youjiang Rock Paintings in Guangxi, Silk Road, Loulan Relics in Xinjiang, Xixia Relics of Ningxia, Ailao Mountain Terraced Fields in Yunnan, Mosuo Matriarchal Community in Yunnan, and Cave-dwelling Village in Yunnan's Wenshan. As China initiated the western development strategy a few years ago, it has become more important to protect the diverse folk culture and natural heritage of ethnic minorities in the western area. The Ethnic Minorities Research Centre has taken the protection of ethnic cultural heritage as their priority and outlined a plan. As Qi said their recent plan includes publishingBrief Introduction of China Ethnic Minorities Cultural Heritage, Ethnic Cultural Heritage, andPictorial Handbook of China Ethnic Minorities Heritage. The centre will also hold a seminar.