Maria C!Gliano Siniciza Tion During the 岛日ng Period

MARIA C!GLIANO

SINICIZATION DURING THE 岛日NG PERIOD: THE CASE OF THE SCHOLAR YANG SHIYUN 串

The case of the scholar Yang Shiyun (1 477-1554), high official in the Chinese public administration, poet, philosopher, historiographer and astronomer, is representative of the high level of sinicization reached by certain ethnic groups in South- Western China during the Ming period, and specifically by the Bai minority'. The process of sinicization, in the sense of transformation of non-Han populations through their acceptance of Chinese cu1ture and its traditional valu巳 s ， was stimulated and accellerated by various 1‘ actors throughout the centuries. As far as the Bai minority is concerned, among the most important factors responsible for its rapid cultural assimilation are the regularity of contacts with the empire, the lack of an indigenous written language and the consequent adoption of the Chinese one (Hanzi Baidu;Z, and, in general, the acknowledgement of the superiority of Chinese cu1ture followed by the more or less unconstrained desire to accept its values The sinicization of the cultured part of the Bai people in the case of some of the most important families was so profound that it brought about an effort on their part to create a complete identification with the dominant group. This desire is evidenced by the adoption of Chinese proper and last names. This process also caused the abandonment of the traditional naming system, in which, along with the last name, the father's last proper name

. The current work is part of the research project: "State and Ethnic Minorities in SouthWest China (Ming-Qing)", funded by the Ministry of University and Scientific Research.

1 The' Bai are an ethnic minority of Tibetan-Burmese origin found in the north-western area of the Chinese Province of Yunnan. Accordind to the 1982 census the Bai population amounts to 1.1 31.1 24, occupying the fourteenth place among Chinese minorities. 80% of th巳 population is found in the Dali territory, since 1956 an autonomous prefecture, with the city of Xiaguan, located on the banks of Lake Erhai, as capital. The remaining 20% are found in small communities scattered throughout the provinces of Yunnan , Sichuan and Guizhou , This written language was called Bowen or Yiwen. Zhang Wenxu, 1981 , pp. 9-15. 儿1aria Cigliano was transmitted and became the son's first proper name. An even more striking evidence of this desire is the insertion of fictitious Han ancestors in the genealogy of important Bai families, whom were said to have emigrated from territories of China Proper to Yunnan in the distant past. This practice has made ethnic identification in r巳 cent times even more problematic. Last but not least, this process is evidenced by the relinquishment of traditional Bai practices, such as the cult of the benzhu. one of the most distinctive sign of Bai culture3• Yang Shiyun is a typical example of the extent to which Chinese culture had impregnated the 巳 ducated Bai classes in the Ming Period. Up to date, he is still completely unknown in the Western world, even if local sources of the time provide ample information on his life and works. Chinese literary criticism, instead, during the last ten years has treated him as a significant representative of the literature of minorities, and acknowledges him as one of the foremost exponents of Bai "author literature" (zuojia wenxu 时. both for his historical works and for his poetry. Our initial hypothesis was that an analysis of Yang Shiyun's work would reveal th巳 characteristic traits of an interaction between two cultures. Instead, the process of sinicization turned out to be much more advanced than expected, especially on a formallevel. As far as the content is concerned Yang Shiyun main themes remain the history of his people as well as the natural features of his country. But on a formal level, practically all traces of Bai origin have been erased, and the style and technique are typical of the new, richer cul• ture, in which he had been educated and whose instruments he chose to adopt.

Brief Notes 00 Bai Culture

References to the Bai people are already found in very ancient sources飞 thanks to their contacts with the Chinese empire, due mainly to the fact that

J The cult of the benzhu is found only in the Oali area. The benz!lu were local divinities 一 each single village had its own patron benzhu-and corresponded to ancient heroes , kings , clan chieftains , and legendary figures in general. On this subject see Zhao Yinsong, 1986; Tian Huaiqing , 1986.

4 In ancient Chines巳 sources Bai people were identified as Erhaiman (Barbarians of Lake Erhai) or Heman (Barbarians of the River) , Baiyi or Baiman. Zhang Xilu , 1990, p. 2. In the Ming period they were called Minjia (Common People). Fitzgerald , C. P. , 194 1.