The 2017 Annual Meeting of Chinese Anthropological Society

The 2017 Annual Meeting of Chinese Anthropological Society (2017 Nian Zhongguo Renleixue Xuehui Xueshu Nianhui),¹ was sponsored by the Chinese Anthropological Society (CAS),² Inner Mongolia Normal University (Neimenggu Shifan Daxue),³ and Association of Science and Society in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Neimenggu Zizhiqu Shehui Kexuejie Lianhehui).⁴ It was co-hosted by the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology Advanced Studies of Inner Mongolia Normal University (Neimenggu Shifan Daxue Minzuxue Renleixue Gaodeng Yanjiuyuan),⁵ the Coordination and Innovation Center of Research on Ethnic Culture alongside the Grass Silk Road (Caoyuan Sichou zhilu Minzu Wenhua Yanjiu Xietong Chuangxin Zhongxin),⁶ and the ethnology innovation team of Inner Mongolia Normal University (Neimenggu Shifan Daxue Minzuxue Chuangxin Tuandui).⁷ Under the theme of "Baorong Fazhan de Renleixue"⁸ (Anthropology in inclusive development), the conference, was held at the Inner Mongolia Normal University, Huhehot, from August 14 to 17, 2017. It brought together 270 scholars from more than 100 scientific research institutes and universities as well as regional presses of mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Germany. There were 9 keynote speeches and 137 seven individual presentations featuring five major themes: Linguistic anthropology (Yuyan Renleixue), Physical and archaeological anthropology (Tizhi, Kaogu Renleixue), Educational anthropology (Jiaoyun Renleixue), Historical anthropology (Lishi Renleixue) and Cultural anthropology (Wenhua Renleixue) (see details in section 2. Presentation by Major Themes).

1. KEYNOTE SPEECHES

This part introduces nine keynote speeches in Chinese.

William S.-Y. Wang (Wang Shiyuan 王士元) from Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, delivered a keynote speech on "Cognition and Language Across the Lifespan" (Sheng, Lao, Bing, Si zhong de Renzhi yu Yuyan),⁹ examining the cognitive and linguistic evolution of human beings. The talk started with a brief review of the linguistic cognitive-related evolution of human's body and brain with a fundamental claim that humans are endowed with cognitive ability. This can help people generate language and culture and enables the life span longer than any other primates. There have been abundant scientific studies on the physiological and genetic structure of human being's brain and its influence on people's behavior. Due to the special framework of brain, mother tongue's influence on fetus during pregnancy is greatly helpful for their mastery of language and the development of their cognitive ability. After the reproduction age, however, the brain degenerates at an increasingly rapid pace, and many people may even be at the risk of dementia. Last but not least, he underscored that aging became an unprecedented challenge for the human society and it called for joint efforts from different people-oriented disciplines, including genetics, biology, psychology, linguistics and anthropology, to prevent age-related diseases and in particular, to ease the burden dementia patients bring to their family members and the society.

Hao Shiyuan郝时远, the president of Chinese Anthropological Society (CAS), from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) (Zhongguo Shehui Kexueyuan),¹⁰ delivered a keynote speech on 2014: Changes in global ethnic issues and China's response (2014: Minzu Wenti de Shijie Bianju yu Zhongguo Jueze).¹¹ He analyzed the international situation in 2014 and pointed out that even though the situation in 2014, as in the 2^nd decade of a century, was similar to that of other corresponding periods in the last five hundred years, the main factors that influence the world are no longer limited to the West events. In September 2014, the Central Ethnic Work Conference (Zhongyang Minzu Gongzuo Huiyi)¹² and the 6^th national commendation for the role models contributing to ethnic harmony and advancement (Diliujie Quanguo Minzu Tuanjie Jinbu Biaozhang Dahui) ¹³ was held in China. Based on China's current situation at this development stage, the conference required respecting differences and being inclusive on the spiritual plane (In contrast to "material" it refers to people's inner world—feelings and emotions, values and intellectual life) and narrowing the gap and sharing the fruits of development in the material aspect in dealing with domestic ethnic issues. And the conference also called for adherence to the Chinese...