Desert Arid Regions Of Human Culture Adaptation Research

Research on the relationship between culture and environment has been one of the most important subjects in the study of ecological anthropology. Ecological anthropologists generally accept the idea that culture is the result of human adaptation to certain environments. Applying the theories and methods of ecological anthropology, ethnology, folklore and related disciplines as well as based on first-hand materials gained from fieldwork, this thesis mainly explores the cultural adaptation in a desert arid land, and the interrelationship between culture and environment.From the global perspective, a major portion of the lands of the earth are arid or semiarid. Furthermore, many of the semiarid lands of the world are becoming increasingly arid. As a result, a great deal of ecological crises and social problems are appearing. The Sahelian Crisis which brought so many people and their herds to death is the best example for this. Thus, the ecology and the social development of arid regions is currently becoming the focus of attention. In this moment, conducting a study of man-environment relationship in arid lands has a certain practical value in the development of these regions.Xinjiang, the largest arid and semi-arid region in China, is the focus of this research. The oasis is the main living space of human beings in the arid and semi-arid regions. In the long-term course of historical development, the oases on the edge and in the hinterlands of the Taklimakan Desert have become the main living space of Uyghurs. By adapting to the environment of this arid region, Uyghurs have created the unique oasis culture particular to the inland desert arid region.This paper, in taking the Deryaboyi Oasis of Yutian County as an example and in putting the oasis culture of the Deryaboyi Uyghurs in a dynamic historical process from the beginning of the20th century to the present, examines the representative ecological adaptation of Deryaboyi Uyghurs in arid region and their unique Desert Oasis Culture. Theoretically, the paper uses the theories of cultural adaptation in ecological anthropology as well as related theories in ecological folklore and ethnology. Methodologically, it puts together emic and etic research methods and uses the historical document method and makes comparative analysis in both diachronic and synchronic contexts. In the process, this paper interprets the formation and evolution of Deryaboyi Uyghur's oasis culture and investigates its possible future trends. On the basis of this case study, this paper summarizes the formation, feature and survival of Desert Oasis Culture in this arid region.This paper is composed of seven chapters. The main content of this paper is as follows:Chapter1, the introduction, states the origin, purpose and significance of this research. It also outlines the theories and methodology on which this paper based, drawing from both domestic and foreign research.Chapter2draws a picture of the natural and social living environment of the Deryaboyi Uyghurs and emphasizes the features of this environment.Chapter3is about the subsistence strategies of the Deryaboyi Uyghurs. Here, much attention has been given to the relationship between the subsistence economy and the ecological environment from cultural ecological perspective. This chapter points out that pastoralism is a successful adaptive strategy in the hyper-arid land, the Taklimakan Desert, which Deryaboyi Uyghurs have achieved.Chpater4offers a core description of material culture: diet, clothing, housing and tools. From the perspective of ecological anthropology and ecological folklore, it presents a detailed analysis of the interrelationship between man and environment which is revealed in the material culture formed in the background of desert environment and the pastoralist mode of production. It is pointed out in this chapter that Deryaboyi Uyghurs created the unique Desert Oasis Culture with the main features of simplicity, regionality, and ecological adaptability in the process of ecological adaption to the harsh environment of the Taklimakan Desert.Chapter5concerns with spritiual culture. This chapter interprets the interaction between spiritual culture and environment by describing the folk customs, local knowledge, ecological views and ethnic characteristics of Deryaboyi Uyghurs. It is the main idea of this chapter that the simple customs, social realtionship with the main content of cooperation and mutual assistance, unique traditional local knowledge system and the ecological view of "man as a part of the natural world" comprise other important aspect of the cultural adaptation of Deryaboyi Uyghurs to an inhospitable environment and isolated society.Chapter6deals with cultural change of Deryaboyi Uyghurs. Special attention has been given to exploring the cultural adaptation of Deryaboyi Uyghrus in the context of eco-environmental and socio-environmental change after the1980's. This chapter emphasizes that environmental change is one of the major factors that causes cultural change.Chapter7is the conclusion. The first half of this chapter considers the future trends of the relationship between Deryaboyi Uyghur's culture and the environment through analyzing the reality of ecological crisis and ecological migration issues that Deryaboyi Uyghurs are facing. It also puts forward the author's own idea regarding the promotion of sustainable development for this special group. The second half of this chapter presents the theoretical analysis of the relationship of the Desert Oasis Culture in this arid region and the ecological environment through the case study of Deryaboyi Uyghurs.Based on the theoretical analysis of the culture-environment relationship, this paper argues that Desert Oasis Culture is the result of successful adaptation to the realities of this arid region; that Desert Oasis Culture has the main features of regionality, simplicity and vulnerability; and that the harsh environment of this hyper-arid region has made Desert Oasis Culture inherently fragile, structurally simple and strongly dependent. This culture is always strongly influenced and controlled by the ecological environment. Therefore, given that, ecological deterioration is appearing, it is difficult to avoid the crisis of the existence of Desert Oasis Culture. It is clear that the relationship between man and environment in arid regions is extremely vulnerable, a point that is very important in the development strategies of Xinjiang, the unique arid region, and other arid regions.