Chinese Anthropologies

Abstract

When speaking of anthropology in the Peoples' Republic of China (PRC), it is often best to refer to the anthropological sciences rather than to anthropology.1 Unlike the situation in the United States, there is no widespread consensus even among its practitioners as to the fundamental nature of the field. In its American version, anthropology has traditionally been seen as an integrated and holistic discipline composed of four subfields: archaeology, physical (biological) anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistics. In today's People's Republic of China, most of the scientists working in these four "subfields" would themselves vigorously protest their inclusion in any such overarching frame. The articles selected in this and the following issue of Chinese Sociology and Anthropology reflect just such a fundamental disagreement.