Gifts, Rites Of Life, Human Circle And Rural Social Support Network,

Gift and gift exchange is one of the center which is concerned by culture anthropology, it widely exists in varieties of culture and attracts many scholars. Based on fieldwork in Li Village in Hubei Province, this paper illustrates gift exchange in life rite, Renqing cycle and social support networks in rural area. Gift exchange has a special object and follows certain principles in Li Village. The villagers have established Renqing cycle as a family unit, and then form social support networks, from which the villagers receive kinds of social support, this support strongly maintained the production and life of village.