Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute · 1998 · 692 citations · 0 references
Social SciencesAnthropologySociologyCultural AnthropologyEthnographyKinship StudiesAnthropology Of ExchangeExchange TheoryGift EconomiesGift ExchangeKinship NetworksSocial ExchangeChinese SocietyGift CirculationGift Exchange NetworksGift SystemsGifts In MarriageMarriage TransactionsPrestige In Gift ExchangeVillage Society
The study situates gift exchange within anthropological theory and Chinese society, focusing on the field site of Xiajia village. The authors develop a preliminary classification of gifts and analyze how the gift economy operates through Guanxi networks, reciprocity, Renqing ethics, power dynamics, and marriage transactions in village society. The study concludes that socialism, Guanxi, and Renqing shape gift practices, influencing social structure and relationships in the village. The article is listed as entry 1.
1. Introduction: the gift in anthropology and Chinese society 2. Xiajia village: a sketch of the field site 3. The world of gifts: a preliminary classification 4. The gift economy and Guanxi networks 5. The structure of Guanxi in village society 6. The principle of reciprocity and Renaqing ethics 7. Power and prestige in gift-exchange relations 8. Marriage transactions and social reformations 9. Conclusions: socialism, Guanxi, Renqing and the gift Notes Bibliography Character list Index.