On May 12, 2008, an 8-magnitude earthquake struck the fault zone of the Longmen Mountain in West China. Sichuan’s Beichuan town was totally devastated. Since the original site of the town was located in a geographically hazardous zone, the Chinese central government decided to rebuild the “New Beichuan” town in another location. This ethnographic research explores Beichuan town’s post-disaster recovery, focusing on the locality production and Beichuan’s Qiang identity reconstruction during the process of reconstruction.

Disaster caused a rupture to this community, and this rupture has become an opportunity for both the state and local people to pursue their needs. The Chinese state tries to make a “leap-forward development” to demonstrate its ability to govern the country. While at t...[ Read more ]

On May 12, 2008, an 8-magnitude earthquake struck the fault zone of the Longmen Mountain in West China. Sichuan’s Beichuan town was totally devastated. Since the original site of the town was located in a geographically hazardous zone, the Chinese central government decided to rebuild the “New Beichuan” town in another location. This ethnographic research explores Beichuan town’s post-disaster recovery, focusing on the locality production and Beichuan’s Qiang identity reconstruction during the process of reconstruction.

Disaster caused a rupture to this community, and this rupture has become an opportunity for both the state and local people to pursue their needs. The Chinese state tries to make a “leap-forward development” to demonstrate its ability to govern the country. While at the local level, in addition to enjoy the advanced infrastructure, the New Beichuan residents are creating themselves a Qiang culture, which gives meaning to their new settlement, community and identity.

The original Beichuan settlement was located in-between the Han and the Qiang settlements, and that the ethnic identity of Beichuan’s residents swings between the Han and the Qiang. Because of the preferential national policies to ethnic minority groups, Beichuan people’s identity has inclined to Qiang since the 1980s. Although now Beichuan has been recognized as Qiang Autonomous County, it is still in a marginal position among the Qiang groups. The people in Old Beichuan were not considered “authentic” Qiang. The “fake Qiang” label has been a problem for Beichuan residents for more than 30 years. The earthquake had become a turning point for Beichuan people’s attitude toward Qiang culture and their own Qiang identity.

Because of the heavy loss of lives in the earthquake, the attention and sympathy of the world had been turned to Beichuan. These attentions suddenly provided Beichuan people a chance to express their Qiang identity and culture. In media reports concerning the post-disaster rescue and recovery process, Beichuan’s Qiang identity had been frequently mentioned, stimulating people’s consciousness of their own identity. While the local government was keen on promoting Qiang culture for the new town, local art troupes were formed for serving the tourists. Interestingly, in order to develop their Beichuan style performance, the local art troupes visited various Qiang groups in different geographical locations to learn their folk dances. The art troupes’ “creations”, furthermore, have become the standard Qiang cultural element for the New Beichuan residents to learn and to enjoy. I name this “Qianglization” process.

In Beichuan’s post-disaster recovery, the political, economic and cultural needs are met through the use of Qiang ethnic culture. Because of the title of the Qiang Autonomous County, the reconstruction gave survivors a chance to acquire new infrastructure and facilities that they did not have before. Qiang culture has become the major resource for promoting tourism and enhancing local economy in Beichuan. When people in New Beichuan town are pursuing making of Qiang culture in a new location, Qiang culture itself is also undergoing a reinvention during this process.