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HEROLD J. WIENS
aggressive push of Chinese Communist socialism. Whatever new syntheses will emerge, it is likely that much of what is unique in traditional customs, dress and social systems will soon disappear forever. Some, such as the slave-system of the Yi Black-bone, will be mourned by few; other aspects may be regretted.
Cultures appear to be relatively static when geographical isolation prevails. With present-day increasing improvement of communications, the deepest isolations are being penetrated. Whether the changes be for the good or bad of the small national groups of China, there is no turning back the hand of time. Even Communist indoctrination of a backward tribal society inevitably must bring increases in literacy, improvements in sanitation and medical care and increase in technological knowledge and production, although freedom and happiness may suffer. A final lamentable aspect for the interested observer of ethnography and culture, however, is the inevitable decrease in the variety of the intricate combinations we call cultures, and the substitution of a rather dull uniformity in the fascinating territory of China.
Tables I and II are printed on the following pages.