The Adaptation of Ethnic Minority Merchants to Urban Culture and An Innovative Urban Ethnic Work Method

Ma Linying

（Southwest Nationalities Research Academy，Southwest University for

Nationalities，Chengdu，610041，Sichuan，China）

JOURNAL OF ETHNOLOGY，VOL.6，NO.6，23-29，2015 （CN51-1731/C，in Chinese）

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1674-9391.2015.06.04

Abstract：

This article takes the Yi fruit sellers in Chengdu as a case study，and analyzes the data obtained from household interviews conducted during 2014.The author uses the data，to demonstrate the reason for the formation of the Yi fruit dealers and the impacts on their society.The author puts forward some workable recommendations for urban management concerning ethnic minority governance.During the process that an ethnic minority settles into and seeks development in cities，they are eager to learn general information about the rules of urban marketing，as well as the basic rights and interests of city people.However，it was difficult for them to acquire this beneficial information.In current urban management work，an interventionoriented model is prioritized with regard to managing population of ethnic minorities who have come in from outside.Within the framework of urban management，we must choose an approach of “prevention first，and intervention second” concerning the governance of this population of ethnic minorities who have come in from the outside.In other words，only by discovering and solving problems in a timely and effective manner will it be possible to build a harmonious society.Therefore，this article proposes the following workable recommendations：

1.Based on the fact that the Yi fruit dealers and other ethnic minorities who have come from the outside，prefer to carry out social communications by using their mobile phone，we should develop a bilingual video software which provides the rules of urban marketing，as well as the basic rights and interests of city people.The language could be either in Yi and Chinese or other ethnic languages and Chinese. Then，we should provide guidance to this population of ethnic minorities on how to download these bilingual videos and how to use this knowledge.This can be regarded as an approach which can solve one of the fundamental problems of urban ethnic management.From the perspective of those populations of ethnic minorities who have come into the city，these videos，which illustrate life in the city and explain the work rules in language with which they are familiar，will be very attractive，and will help them understand city laws，regulations，management rules，including how distinguish chengguan（city management people）and police，and how to use media and hotlines to protect their rights.Urban management work should fully use a platform for the mobile phones which is low in cost and high in benefits，and provide services for cross cultural groups，such as the ethnic minority people.This kind of governmental investment will reduce the populations loss of benefits in the city，and reduce the rate of their breaking the law and regulations.Moreover，it could reduce the governments investment in interventionoriented urban management.We estimate that once a bilingual software is designed especially for the fruit dealers of the Yi for the purpose of popularizing laws and protecting rights，it could serve as a model，and become a shortcut for managing the populations which come from the outside to different cities.

2.The street affairs office or urban management committee which manages the areas in which ethnic minorities live should invite the heads of family branches or clans to participate in community management，and construct a longterm socialization mechanism.This is because most ethnic minority people who move to the city for business or labor essentially keep the organizational structure of traditional agricultural society.Many individuals normally organize or manage themselves through their blood relationships or marriage relationships. The people overseeing urban management cannot turn a blind eye to this kind of folk organizational structure.Instead they should safeguard it，draw upon its advantages，by involving those traditional leaders as advisers or communication links with the government. They can spread the governments intentions by using the prestige among the rest of the people.Once this kind of innovative model of “governmentfolk cooperation” has been institutionalized，it will not only help to have an ideal effect in social governance by using less time and energy of the government， but will also help to promote the ethnic minority peoples consciousness of being “hosts” in the city and strengthen their sense of responsibility to build a harmonious society in their place of residence.Thus，the ethnic relations in the city will gradually improve and move in healthy direction.

3.The government institutions，including the street affairs office and urban management committee，have already established a cooperative relation with the universities for nationalities in the same cities which are concerned with the management of population of ethnic minorities who have moved in from the outside.The positive work result from this cooperation should be acknowledged.However，under a new social development background，we should also correct some mistakes.In the past，we have been used to using a model of interventionoriented management，and the participation of universities for nationalities was passive.Instead，the students associations，workers associations and students whose educational background is in law，sociology，and ethnic minority linguistics，etc.from universities for nationalities should be encouraged by the government to have longterm cooperations with governmental institutions，including the street affairs offices，and urban management committees.When the ethnic minorities arrive in the city，and before disputes occur or unlawful acts happen，the teachers and students who have the same ethnic identity，or have an ethnic minority identity，should reach out to them and provide training on “basic knowledge concerning urban cultural adaptation”.Because there is a sense of common pride or feeling among people with the same ethnic identity，it is easy to break down the barriers of language，culture，psychology，and region，etc.when people from the same ethnic group provide assistance.It is also easier for them to eliminate any emotional resistance， enter deeply into their hearts，and understand their actual needs during the process of emerging in the city and struggling for development.This kind of urban management can not only reduce costs，but can also let the ethnic minority people get timely assistance.Moreover，the students from the university for nationalities can also have the chance to conduct social practice，contribute what they have learned from the university to society，and play the role of a thirdparty in city management.

Key Words： ethnic minority merchants;cultural adjustment;urban ethnic work