Ethnic Branding in Contemporary China: Buyi and the Paradox of Difference

An ethnic group at the crossroads of uniqueness and conformity in southwestern China

The Buyi people face a dilemma. On the one hand, they work hard to maintain their culture--both out of pride and to attract visitors to their region. On the other, they want to maintain the government and popular perception of the Buyi as part of the Chinese civilization, a notion that in turn undermines the exoticism sustaining their tourism. Placing the Buyi's situation within a local history of ethnicity, Yu Luo documents their attempts to shape a brand that's different enough but not too different from neighboring groups. The child of a Buyi father and a Han mother, Luo draws on insider and outsider perspectives to analyze how locals rework ritual beliefs, artistic performances, and cultural landmarks to navigate their inward search for identity and outward desire for market success.

A rare and vivid portrait, Ethnic Branding in Contemporary China merges intimate observation with critical analysis to explore how a minority group in the People's Republic delicately balances cultural pride and economic survival.