BOOK REVIEWS
315
dates. The book is well footnoted but lacks a comprehensive bibliography. Those who take an interest in Professor Chen's contributions in the academic field might find the lengthy list of his publications which is appended and some remarks in the text to be useful.
Perhaps Professor Chen did not mean to be modest when he asserted in the preface that this collection of papers are not his more mature works. The value of the book lies in the fact that it pinpoints the key themes and directions in research on the highly complex cultural geography of China. One wishes that the volume might be a pioneer in a series of books with similar titles.
NORMAN NG YEN-TAK
Ethnic Groups and Social Change in a Chinese Market Town, C. Fred Blake, University Press of Hawaii, (Asian Studies at Hawaii, No. 27), 1981. xviii + 180 pp. Bibliography, Index.
This study represents the author's conclusions as to the social make-up of Sai Kung town, and arises from observations made during his residence there in 1971-72. His basic thesis is that Sai Kung town society in 1971 was essentially formed from the interactions of the four or five ethnic groups operating there at that date. He points out that each ethnic group defended its cultural distinctiveness through its own unique cultural and religious activities, and its political position through public bodies which in practice represented mainly members of one only of the ethnic groups.
This thesis is clearly helpful and can be used to throw light on social features in many parts of Hong Kong. The old social structure in Shamshuipo and other places in the older urban areas is also marked by a similar structure of essentially ethnically based Kaifong and other groups. There can be little doubt that further work will find social structures of this basic type in most of Hong Kong, and perhaps in most ethnically diverse Chinese cities.
BOOK REVIEWS
315
dates. The book is well footnoted but lacks a comprehensive bibliography. Those who take an interest in Professor Chen's contributions in the academic field might find the lengthy list of his publications which is appended and some remarks in the text to be useful.
Perhaps Professor Chen did not mean to be modest when he asserted in the preface that this collection of papers are not his more mature works. The value of the book lies in the fact that it pinpoints the key themes and directions in research on the highly complex cultural geography of China. One wishes that the volume might be a pioneer in a series of books with similar titles.
NORMAN NG YEN-TAK
Ethnic Groups and Social Change in a Chinese Market Town, C. Fred Blake, University Press of Hawaii, (Asian Studies at Hawaii, No. 27), 1981. xviii + 180 pp. Bibliography, Index.
This study represents the author's conclusions as to the social make-up of Sai Kung town, and arises from observations made during his residence there in 1971-72, His basic thesis is that Sai Kung town society in 1971 was essentially formed from the interactions of the four or five ethnic groups operating there at that date. He points out that each ethnic group defended its cultural distinctiveness through its own unique cultural and religious activities, and its political position through public bodies which in practice represented mainly members of one only of the ethnic groups.
This thesis is clearly helpful and can be used to throw light on social features in many parts of Hong Kong the old social structure in Shamshuipo and other places in the older urban areas is also marked by a similar structure of essentially ethnically based Kaifong and other groups. There can be little doubt that further work will find social structures of this basic type in most of Hong Kong, and perhaps in most ethnically diverse Chinese cities.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.