Japanese Mythology From Ethnological Perspectives

Comparative studies of Japanese mythology have developed since the 1920s above all through eftbrts of Japanese ethnologists. They have paid attention to the possible ethno-cultural complexes that brought mythological motifs into the archipelago. In the present paper the theories set forth by Nobuhiro Matsumoto, Akihide Mishina, and Masao Oka are examined in terms of retrospect. The result shows that they shared the view that at least three different complexes, based in ancient Yamato, Izumo, and Kyushu respectively, contributed to the formation of Japanese mythology compiled in the 8th century CE （Common Era）. Their assumptions were synthesized by Taryo Obayashi in 1961, the hypothesis which has survived until today. In future we should cooperate with other disciplines and address the formation process of Japanese mythology.

Vine and Woman--One of the Cardinal Symbols of Georgian Identity （Ethnological Research）

At the center of one of the ancient Georgian mythological narratives, we find a figure of the great mother Nana in the land of Batonebi. It is one of the images of paradise, suffused with eternal light, ruby marani （location for storing wine in special pitchers）, and a poplar growing nearby. This poplar is the tree of life, the tree of immortality on which, in some variants, vine is climbing up. In the fourth century, as the tradition and chronicle says, before coming to Georgia for preaching Christianity, St. Nino was given a vine cross by the Blessed Virgin. In the twelfth century, the Georgian king Demetre I wrote a hymn entitled ＂You Are the Vineyard＂ which is dedicated to Blessed Virgin, the patroness of Georgia. If we look at the way in which the religious mentality of Georgians developed, we can notice a line of symbols： the vine, representing the tree of life/cross, and the holy woman （the great mother Nana, the Holy Virgin, and St. Nino）, who is connected with it. The vine cross, the ＂Georgian Cross＂ that Our Lady gave to St. Nino is one of the obvious images of Georgian identity containing pre-Christian worldviews as well.

The European of the Future as a “New Synthesis”: Nietzsche and the Ethnological Task of the West

From a hermeneutic and comparative perspective,the purpose of this paper is to discuss investigative paths of ethnological and ethnographic aspects in Nietzsche’s writings that became relevant for different elaborations of the concept of synthesis in specific thought cycles of his work.In a first step,these aspects are verified in his school,philological and philosophical texts,described in relation to his studies on ancient Greek culture and compared under the parameter of the different conceptions of synthesis developed by him in each identified phase.Subsequently,the concept of synthesis is discussed as physiology(considering body,consciousness,and language),explaining human life as a creative expression of nature itself.With this explanation,it becomes possible to understand the processes related to the concept of synthesis as the task of those he terms as good Europeans,and the great politics in his philosophy of the future.The identification between the feeling of resistance(Widerstandsgefühl)and the imminence point of the preliminary stage of dominion structures(Herschafts-Gebilde)in the last analyzed conception of synthesis is the logical and ethical path towards the demonstration intended here.The article concludes by demonstrating the creative and dynamic character of the metaphilosophical scope of the task proposed by him in the mid-1880s and the possibilities opened up from then on for future discussions of culture,aesthetics,knowledge,logic,ethics,and politics.

Study on Ethnical Bamboo Culture Ecotourism in Yunnan Province

As a specific region most abundant in bamboo species and their natural forests i n the world, China's Yunnan Province harbors over 250 bamboo species belongin g to 28 genera in its 331 000?hm\+2 of bamboo forests,thus forming a unique macro\| ba ckground of its ecotourist landscape resources.Not only is it acknowledged as on e of the original places and modern distribution centers of bamboo by scientists ,but it is a region with diverse ethnical and bamboo cultures nurtured out of th e peculiar ethnical customs and wide bamboo utilization of its 26 nationalities. Based on the analyses of the ornamental bamboo and its value in landscape resour ces,5 aesthetic characteristics are microscopically and morphologically approach ed as a material base of the formation of bamboo culture.By reexamining the macr o\|background of the specific natural and humanity landscape,4 categories are de scribed as fundamental macro\|landscape resources of Yunnan's bamboo culture eco tourism.After researching the ethnical ecological ethics and cultural symbolism, 3 typical ethnical traditions are summarized as traditional ecological awareness ,and 3 cultural features of bamboo are revealed as essence of ethnical bamboo cu lture preserved in Yunnan.Borrowing some theories from the new economic developm ent,innovation and successful ecotourist management experience at home and abroa d with wide academic vision,the authors have synthetically studied the substanti al,conceptual and symbolic landscapes in a broad field involving bamboo science, ethnology,ecology,ecoeconomics and tourist management.A preliminary theory of e thnical bamboo culture is thus constructed,and its peculiarities are briefly dis cussed while the correlation between ethnical bamboo culture and the natural res ources,other cultures as well as ecotourist development are systematically analy zed to lay a solid theoretical foundation and reliable scientific basis for ecoe conomy\|oriented forestry,cultural economics and ecotourist practice.Accordingly ,3 primary strategies and certain related principles are suggested for the susta inable development of ecotourism in Yunnan via effective protection and rational exploitation of abundant natural landscape resources and colorful humanity land scape resources including ethnical bamboo culture.

关于人类学学科定位的相关问题

基于对人类学的哲学思考——人类学的发展正在经过"肯定—否定—肯定"的指向发展,依据"总体人类学"的学科分类,人类学学科的科学知识既有自然科学的性质也有社会、人文科学的性质;如果必须在科学性质上对其进行分类,总体原则只能是依研究者所研究对象的性质而定。鉴于人类学学科定位的重要性,对"ethnography"与"ethnology"作定性说明很有必要。

Differences in reproductive endocrinology between Asian men and Caucasian men——a literature review

This review provides an overview of the literature on aspects of reproductive endocrinology wherein Asian menmay differ from Caucasian, notably, prostatic nioplasm and the sensivity to pharmacological regimens of male contra-ception. Both genetic and environmental factors, such as nutrition, might be relevant. Asian men residing in Asia seemto be relatively protected from clinical prostatic nioplasm while the prevalence of preclinical prostatic nioplasm is notdifferent. Migration to an area with a higher prevalence reduces this difference but does not undo it. With regard toprostatic nioplasm the following factors have been considered as relevant in Asian men: 1) a reduction in 5α-reductaselevel, 2) decreased levels of androgenic ketosteroid precursors of 5α-reduced androgen metabolites, 3) the decreasedpresence of a P53 mutation, 4) a higher CAG-repeat length of the androgen receptor, 5) a possible higher level ofphysical activity, 6) differences in sexual activity. Furthermore, Asian men respond to a higher degree with azoosper-mia in response to contraceptive steroids. Possible explanations offered for the more pronounced response to contracep-tive steroids are: 1) differences in testicular structure and decreased spermatogenic potential, 2) an earlier and moremarked suppression in LH secretion by exogenous androgens. The differences may be due to genetical and/or environ-mental factors influencing the peripheral testosterone metabolism. Dietary factors such as the higher intake of phytoe-strogens in Asians might exert effects on 5α-reductase activity and/or on sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels,thus having an impact on the biological efficay of circulating androgens. ( Asian J Androl 2000; 2: 13 - 20)

The History, Ethnology and Social Importance of Mare＇s Milk Consumption in Central Asia

The purpose of this paper is to make available for occidental lecturers a kind of synthesis of the information we accumulated over more than twenty years about horse breeding in Central Asia. It is also a trans-disciplinary approach mostly based on French bibliography and personal experiences. We will give a new perspective on the early time history of horse breeding to introduce the current breeding of horses in herds in Central Asia. We will continue with the description of the diet of the nomads and the central place taken by mare＇s milk in their culture. This induced rituals but also some medical aspects. These latter can now be partly explained with current modem studies. We will finally discuss on the prospects of horse milk products in the new globalised world.

Women＇s Position in Religious Life of Georgia and Its Peculiarities

Georgia is a country where women＇s secular and religious activities would never be strange and unprecedented. But also this is a country where women are considered impure for ritual purposes, not allowed even to come too close to the shrines or conduct liturgy; where participation in main shrine rituals or slaughter of sacrifice was and is strictly forbidden. However, there are remarkable exceptions that are shown in the article. Women＇s shrines are found almost in all regions of Georgia, but according to our field works and other ethnographic data their presence is remarkably obvious in Khevi, mountainous region of East Georgia. The study of the subject brought us to a conclusion that women in Khevi might have more rights in conducting religious rituals at shrines than in other Eastern Georgia＇s highland regions. It may be conditioned by St. Ninos＇s strong connection with the region.

Forms of Georgian Traditional Pilgrimage and Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia of Today

The purpose of our paper is to show, on the example of Tbilisi, how places become sacred and the sights of pilgrimage; what are the modern and traditional forms of pilgrimage in Georgia. The study showed that the graves of the prominent people for their pure life and miraculous deeds, who lived during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods until now are the places of veneration. These people before official canonization became saints for people and as I call them, they became “folk Saints”, as the forms of their veneration are the same as canonized ones. After post-Soviet revival of religiousness in the late 1970es, one form of pilgrimage became especially popular in the Orthodox Church of Georgia. On the memorial days of Saints or just after Sunday liturgy priest and congregation visit graves of these Saints or prominent churches dedicated to them, where they pray and have small services. The study showed that this form was not traditional Georgian form of pilgrimage, but Russian one. I also argue that there might have been five forms of traditional pilgrimage in Georgia. The study was based on historical sources, published scientific works and the personal field ethnographic materials.

中国民族学的研究范式及创新

In almost a century of its development,Chinese ethnology has gradually formed some significant academic paradigms.One of them is the"ethnic research paradigm"which concentrates on summarizing,organizing,and detailing social and cultural facts using"ethnicity"as its primary unit.This paradigm sees ethnicity as its foundational unit of study.Meanwhile,the"inter-ethnic research paradigm"transcends singular ethnic groups,spotlighting the complex interactions between multiple ethnic groups.It views a multi-ethnic community or region as its core research field,underscoring the nuances of cultural exchange,overlap,and shared experiences.These two paradigms,while distinct,are both invaluable to Chinese ethnology.They don't replace each other but rather work synergistically.Pioneering ethnologist,Fei Xiaotong,masterfully merged these paradigms in his groundbreaking"pluralism and unity"theory,ushering in a refreshed framework for Chinese ethnological studies.This article delves into these foundational paradigms from a historical academic lens,aiming to further refine and enrich the scientific methodologies employed in Chinese ethnology.

Manuscripts

Since 1987 the annual journal Southern Ethnology and Archaeology(Nan Fang Min Zu Kao Gu)has been published by Sichuan University under the direction of late renowned archaeologist Prof.Tong Enzheng.From 1987 to 1995 the journal gained its reputation through the publication of five volumes containing a number of ground breaking works.

Manuscripts Southern Ethnology and Archaeology

Since 1987 Southern Ethnology and Archaeology (Nan Fang Min Zu Kao Gu) has been published by Sichuan University under the direction of renowned archaeologist Prof. Tong Enzheng. From 1987 to 1993 the journal gained its reputation through the publication of five volumes containing a number of ground breaking works.

Manuscripts Southern Ethnology and Archaeology

Since 1987 Southern Ethnology and Archaeology(Nan Fang Min Zu Kao Gu)has been published by Sichuan University under the direction of renowned archaeologist Prof.Tong Enzheng.From 1987 to 1993 the journal gained its reputation through the publication of five volumes containing a number of ground breaking works.

Manuscripts Southern Ethnology and Archaeology

Since 1987 Southern Ethnology and Archaeology(Nan Fang Min Zu Kao Gu)has been published by Sichuan University under the direction of renowned archaeologist Prof.Tong Enzheng.From 1987 to 1993 the journal gained its reputation through the publication of five volumes containing a number of ground breaking works.