Lijun Zhang (George Mason University)
Drawing from fieldwork conducted in Southwest China in 2017, 2018, and 2019, the presentation offers a research report on the differentiation and dynamic of basket making in the Dong and Yao communities in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province. I focus on the various ways basket making as a form of community living culture is practiced, adapted, and sustained by basket makers of different backgrounds in a fast-changing social, cultural, and economic landscape. I also briefly compare the basket crafting practice in the Dong and Yao communities to the broader situation of basket making in other parts of China.
Part of 03-08 On Becoming More Differentiated: Diversification of Craft Practices and Experiences in Southwest China, Thursday, October 13, 2:30 pm–4:30 pm