Discussions on the Mechanisms for the Formationof Harmonious Ethnic Relations between the Huiand Tibetans in the TibetanYi Corridor

Ma+Shanglin

Abstract：Based on fieldwork conducted in Songfan， Sichuan； Diqing， Yunnan； Gannan， Gansu； and Changdu， Tibet from 20122013， this article investigates the reasons for the formation of harmonious ethnic relations between the Hui and Tibetan in the TibetanYi corridor from mainly two aspects： driving force mechanisms and institutional guarantees. It proposes that during their long process of historical interaction， the Hui and Tibetans in the TibetanYi corridor have formed an economically complementary relationship and one of cultural integration. In addition， due to the concerns of the government， the implementation of ethnic policies together with those rational and positive aspects found in both Hui and Tibetan customary law， a harmonious ethnic relationship between the Hui and Tibetans has been safeguarded in this corridor.

The geographical environment in the TibetanYi corridor， which forms a special geographical economic culture， as well as an ethnic economic cultural area for the Hui， Tibetan and Han who live there， is complex. Tibetans mainly engage in animal husbandry， and their culture has the strong characteristics of pastoral cultures. The Hui mainly engage in entrepreneurship， and take valleys or towns as their centers. Those Hui who live in rural areas normally practice farming. The Han are characterized by attaching importance to agriculture， and normally living in the plains， valleys and towns. Generally speaking， due to the influence of their living environments together with cultural factors， there is a clear division of labor among the Hui， Tibetans and Han. The economic cooperation between the Tibetans and Hui has experienced a long history. The Hui engage in the business of selling beef， mutton， and leather， as well as process other kinds of animal products. They need to have an exchange with the Tibetans who practice animal husbandry. The transactions carried out by the Tibetans for their lifes necessities， such as rice， salt， tea， daily tools， and decorative items， are normally conducted with the Hui. Nowadays， the form， content and level of economic cooperation between the Hui and Tibetan has become multidimensional.

The Hui and Tibetans have their own historical traditions， cultural backgrounds and religious customs. It can be said that their cultural differences are very obvious. However， in the TibetanYi corridor at the places where the different ethnic cultures meet and interact， the frequent economic exchanges between the Hui and Tibetans have promoted their cultural fusion and development； they influence each other from the aspect of language， food， architecture， and costumes， etc. Thus， harmonious ethnic relations followed with constant cultural integration. Nowadays， no matter whether in Gannan， Songfan， or in Diqing and Changdu， the cultural interactions are very natural and most of them are very positive. Actually， the whole society is filled with an atmosphere of cultural integration between the Hui， Tibetans and Han. The friendly communication between the Hui and Tibetans has been a tradition in the TibetanYi corridor for a long time. The Hui and Tibetans often organize cultural activities together or take part in each others cultural activities in their daily lives. In the course of economic exchange， they learn each others language， and try to adapt to each other s customs. Many Hui and Han can speak fluent Tibetan， and the Tibetans also can speak fluent Chinese or know common expressions used by the Hui. In addition， nowadays， various political activities （meetings， elections）， production and economic activities （such as commodity fairs） organized by the local government also provide new approaches for the cultural interaction between the Hui and Tibetans.

In order to promote the prosperity and development of the ethnic groups， China has made relevant laws and regulations concerning ethnic equality， which ensure the establishment of new socialist ethnic relations， and provide institutional guarantees for harmonious ethnic relations between the Hui and Tibetans. Firstly， ethnic equality is taken as a basic principle and included in the Constitution—this is good for establishing harmonious ethnic relations. Secondly， the implementation of regional ethnic autonomy provides a guarantee to building harmonious ethnic relations. The minzu quyu zizhi fa （Regional Ethnic Autonomous Law） is the first specialized law concerning regional ethnic autonomy； it makes specific provisions on the harmonious development of ethnic relations； further enhances the institutional construction of regional ethnic autonomy； and ensures the political， economic and cultural autonomous rights of the ethnic areas.

Lastly， a series of ethnic policies has ensured the harmonious development of ethnic relations. For instance：1）policy related to ethnic language and writing systems. After the founding of New China， relevant provisions concerning the ethnic languages and writing systems were made in the ethnic autonomous prefectures or counties， which ensured the basic rights and interests of the ethnic groups， enabled the ethnic groups to communicate with each other widely， and improved the development in these areas. 2） policy related to the freedom of religious beliefs. After founding the new nation， the policy on the freedom of religious beliefs was strongly advocated in the TibetanYi corridor area. The implementation of this policy has ensured harmonious relations between religious people and nonreligious people， and between people with different religious backgrounds. 3） policy related to respecting ethnic peoples customs. After the founding of New China， the state drew up many specific and clear regulations with regard to respecting ethnic peoples customs. The practice has proved that respecting and understanding ethnic minorities customs will be helpful to conducting friendly exchanges and communications among different ethnic groups， reducing ethnic disputes or conflicts， and playing a positive role in forming harmonious ethnic relations. 4） policy related to ethnic unity. Ethnic conflict was very sharp and ethnic relations were very complicated throughout the history of the TibetanYi corridor. After the founding of the New China， policies related to ethnic unity were further emphasized， and， carried out more proactively since the implementation of the “reform and opening up” strategy.

In addition，those rational parts of customary law found in the traditional cultures of the Hui and Tibetans also provide a guarantee for the formation of harmonious ethnic relations. The customary law of the Hui and Tibetans was formed throughout the long process of history， and has an authoritative and constraining impact. It mainly focuses on adjusting the internal social relationships of the group so as to maintain social order. Its content is broad， and includes religious beliefs， morality， property， inheritance， etc. There are many rational and positive factors in these customary laws. The customary law of the Hui and Tibetans also plays a role in regulating and guiding the daily habits of the people so that different social relations in human communications can be adjusted， and a relationship with mutual respect and inclusion is constructed. It not only promotes the formation of a harmonious social environment for the Hui and Tibetans， but also plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the whole society.

To sum up， the Hui and Tibetans in the TibetanYi corridor have formed a complementary economic relationship and one of cultural integration in the long process of historical interaction. Since the founding of New China， the government advocates ethnic unity for the goal of ethnic prosperity and development， and has created relevant rules and regulations from the aspect of the law. Moreover， following the concrete implementation of the ethnic policies， together with the role played by the rational and positive factors in the customary law of the Hui and Tibetans， a new pattern of socialist ethnic relations has been established， which has promoted the formation of harmonious ethnic relations between the Hui and Tibetan in the TibetanYi corridor and provided guarantees for these relations.

Key Words：TibetanYi corridor； the Hui and Tibetan； harmonious ethnic relation

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