Historical Memory and Identity Practice Arousing Consciousness of the Chinese National Community

（1.School of Ethnology and Sociology，Minzu University of China， Beijing， 100081， China;

2. Institute of Ba Culture， Sichuan University of Arts and Sciences， Dazhou， Sichuan， 635002， China）]

JOURNAL OF ETHNOLOGY， VOL. 15， NO.01， 14-20， 2024 （CN51-1731/C， in Chinese）

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1674-9391.2024.01.002

Abstract：

The Taliu people （“Taliu Ren” ） are a subgroup of the Yi ethnic people， and are primarily located in the Yongsheng and Huaping counties within the Lijiang municipality of" Yunnan province." Historical documents trace their lineage back to the “Bai Man，” a term denoting the “white minority” （an ethnic name） in ancient Southwestern China. Related research reports that within Taliu oral tradition there are three different versions of" legendary ancestral narratives， each highlighting a multiethnic coancestor theme.nbsp; The first version is “coancestor" of five groups”. In this version， the Tibetan， Naxi，" Bai， Han， and Taliu peoples" emerge from five brothers;" a second version" narrows the ancestral lineage to three groups， attributing" the Han， the Nuosu of the Yi， and the Taliu" to three brothers;" a third version is also about" the “coancestry" of three groups”， but in this iteration， the Han， the Nuosu of the Yi，" and the Taliu" trace their descent to" three sisters. Although there seem to be some differences between these three versions， it shows the rich tapestry of coancestor legends woven within Taliu cultural heritage.

The" “Zong Zhi Jie” festival" serves as a worship ritual of the Taliu People. Historical research indicates it was only observed to worship their own forebears" by each surname clan，" with external participation prohibited. Each surname clan took turns to hold this festival in different months." However， since the 1950s，" locals have blended this festival with another ancestral worship ceremony known as “Ba Ba Jie”， and it now occurs annually on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month， marking a significant adaptation in Taliu ancestral practices： In the new ancestor worship ceremony， the Taliu people have transitioned from exclusively venerating their own surname clan ancestors" to embracing the ancestral heritage" of the “360 hu wu” （meaning “360 military households”） Han ancestors. These ancestors are believed to be affiliated with Han military" encampments dating back to the Ming Dynasty. In addition， the Taliu people have" also linked their ancestors with Mao Taihua， the" progenitor" of the Mao family in Hunan， through tracing their genealogy." Indeed， both" The “360 Han military households” as well as the Mao clan" stationed in" “Lancangwei”" are considered by the locals as" their “primordial" ancestors”.

From research data this article draws the inferences" that no matter their identifying" with “multiethnic coancestors” or" awakening the historical consciousness of “Han ancestry” reflects the historical impact" of longterm communication， interaction， and integration among the early Taliu people of the Yi， the migrating Han people in Yunnan， and various" other ethnic minorities. This arguably can be considered as a form of" “selfrecreation” of Taliu people， wherein ethnic boundaries have been supplanted by a bloodline connection and communal habitation within the broader" Chinese National Community. This study also finds it reasonable to assume that this “selfrecreation” of the Taliu people underscores their recognition of the Chinese nation and culture， delineating in a way the genesis of the Chinese national community. Put differently， it has been a process of awakening of" the Taliu peoples consciousness of the Chinese national community. Therefore， this research firmly asserts that the case of the Taliu people can provide valuable ethnographic insights and materials for scholarly research， educational initiatives， and public outreach aimed at forging" a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

Key Words：

Taliu people of the Yi ethnic group; memory construction; cultural integration; Chinese national community consciousness; identification with the Chinese nation