Ethnic Cultural Screens and the Construction of an Ecological Civilization

Lin Xiaohua Qiu Yanping

Abstract：The religious arts of the Hani contains a unique ecological wisdom.This paper gives a dialectical analysis on the positive and negative factors of the Hanis traditional ecological wisdom，and discovers that this ecological wisdom is essentially a kind of “cultural screen”.For the first time，this paper puts forward the concept of “cultural screen” in the field of “ecological civilization”，and states that the ethnic cultural screen formed from Hani religious beliefs has an important theoretical and practical meaning for the construction of an “ecological civilization” in China.

The ethnic cultural screen refers to different ethnic groups projecting an image that is mutually exclusive and self-protecting that reflects passively or publicly between the different ethnic groups，and which is based upon their cultural characteristics and differences，including their ethnic character and ethnic consciousness.This screen can have both positive and negative effects on ethnic relations during the process of communication among the various ethnic groups.The ethnic cultural screen is not the same as one ethnic groups rejection of another groups cultures while protecting its own culture because of the cultural differences.The current reality is that the Hani area is facing two great opportunities： the development of tourism，and the attention of the media.However，during the process of rapid development，the Hani area is also accompanied by problems—especially the destruction brought about by excessive tourism.The attention of the media on the Hani has led the Hanis traditional culture to a kind of obvious “mediafication”.During the process of development，the remarkable Han culture has not been protected effectively.Therefore，the question is how can we protect and transmit the Hanis traditional culture？ How can we eliminate the negative impacts from the more powerful culture？ And，how can we reconcile the contradictions，i.e.how to take references on the basis of protection？ To solve these problems，it is necessary to dig into and innovate the ethnic cultural screen formed from Hani religious arts，and explore the ways of modern transformation.

I.The Status of Research on Hani Religious Arts

As an important part of ethnic studies in Southwest China，the research on the Hani has been a current topic in the field of ethnological research.Especially for the last 10 years，studies on the Hani have been of concern in academic circles.Seen throughout the comprehensive research results，we can note the rich cultural connotations of the Hani terraced fields.Moreover，the research is very scientific and has integrity.In the long process of their production and life practices，the Hani have formed a religious system，and way of life in which deities，nature and life are highly coordinated，and coexist harmoniously.This paper states that the religious art of the Hani has three main features.The first one is animism，a feature which is reflected in their worship of deities whose meaning is linked with respecting nature.The second feature is ritual performance，which uses the ethnic festival as the vehicle to pray for divine intervention for the farming activities and for a good harvest.The third feature is the variety of religious taboos，which have played a positive role in protecting the environment.

II.The Significance of the Cultural Screen for Ecological Construction

In this article，we will call the ethnic minority ecological cultural screen simply an ethnic cultural screen.It especially means that，with the aid of religious beliefs，which are widely accepted as a powerful cultural feature in ethnic groups，one can build an endogenous specification mechanism or constraint mechanism in the individual and collective mind so as to construct a high identity for ethnic cultural inheritance and a concept of ecological construction among the group members.Thus，with the power of religious art，the screen encourages people to protect nature consciously，gradually purifies their minds，and，finally，makes it the collective consciousness of all members of the group.

One of the most striking features of Hani religious culture is that they have various religious taboos，which derive from their worship and their fear of divine power and holy objects.Hence，these taboos consciously regulate their behavior，and，as a result，the Hani avoid those thoughts and behaviors which might be harmful to themselves.As for ecological protection，these religious taboos are a very good ethnic cultural screen.The highly harmonious relationship of the Hani with nature，and their pursuit of a life with rich spiritual features，presents us a kind of “poetically aesthetic realm”.Their religious culture has formed a unique ethnic cultural screen.We believe that the ethnic cultural screen is of great significance to the theory of the construction of the ecological civilization in China.This can be understood on two levels： firstly，the Hanis ecological cultural screen can be an ethnic resource for ecological civilization.Secondly，the ecological cultural screen can be a norm which serves to constrain subjectivity.However，if we only depend on administrative power，or the force of law，it will not be effective in the long-term process.The question is how to develop a kind of internal adjustment mechanism，and integrate ecological protection into the psychological consciousness of all people？ The introduction of the concept of the ecological cultural screen in Hani religious art，namely，the establishment of an internal standard for individual psychology，provides us with a new inspiration to the theory of ecological civilization.

III.TheEthnic Cultural Screen in the Era of Media Communications： Development and Adjustment

The external force faced by the Hani culture in the age of communication is mainly an opportunity brought by tourism development，which has raised the attention of the media about Hani culture.The medias attention will strengthen concern about the Hani ethnic region，attract more people to the area and bring direct economic development.However，it will also have a significant impact on Hani culture.

The reality is that in the face of influence of and impact from the “powerful culture”，the remarkable Hani culture has not been effectively protected，and the trend of assimilation into the strong “culture”has been enhanced.Therefore，while the Hani ethnic culture absorbs and uses the influence of the strong culture in a reasonable way，how can one eliminate the negative impacts？ Obviously，the ethnic cultural screen can play an important role.As a self-sufficient system，the ethnic cultural screen plays a positive role in the ethnic ecological construction，and could “rectify” automatically those factors which are not conducive to the stable transmission of an ethnic ecological civilization and direction of development.This rule is not only suitable to the Hanis ecological development，but also to the protection and transmission of the construction of an ecological civilization among other ethnic cultures.Therefore，the ethnic cultural screen can play a function in dynamic development and self-regulation by promoting the construction of an ethnic ecological ciivilization.

Key Words： religious art； ecological wisdom； ethnic cultural screen； modern transformation

References：

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Wang Lanfeng.hanizu yuanshi zongjiao xingyang yanjiu（On the Hanis Primitive Religious Beliefs）.In Academic Research，2013（8）.

Qian Minghui.jiaoyu shehuixue（Sociology of Education）.Beijing：beijing daxue chubanshe，2004： 136.