Blog
2024.09.26

[Report] Summer Institute 2024 Day 2: Lecture by Professor Zhang Fan

The second lecture, delivered by Prof. ZHANG Fan, Assistant Professor at Peking University’s Sociology Department, was titled “Civilization and Climate” (文明と風土). Prof. ZHANG began with a brief introduction to modern anthropology, which focuses on the study of small communities within larger societies through observations and fieldwork. She pointed out its limitations, such as power imbalances between researchers and subjects, and the lack of domestic perspectives.

Prof. ZHANG then introduced the Chinese concept of “Feng Tu” (风土), offering a holistic view of societies by integrating local customs, environment, and moral orders. This aligns with the trend of “indigenous” anthropology, where scholars study their own societies to challenge Western epistemologies. To explain “Feng Tu” in more detail, Prof. ZHANG analyzed three texts of “Feng Tu Ji” (风土记).

In conclusion, “Feng Tu” challenges the rigid divisions in modern social science by emphasizing the interconnection of humans, nature, and culture. It offers a way to move beyond “Western individualism” and provides a more integrated and comprehensive approach to studying societies.

 

Reported by ZHANG Liaoliao (Peking University)