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NICHOLAS TAPP
to become prosperous before others), and the replacement of much grain-cultivation by new cash-crops associated with the introduction of the household responsibility system, have by no means affected the minority areas to the same extent as other, more fertile, areas of the countryside, and indeed were not introduced into most minority areas until 1982 (after the Third Session*), there is no doubt that the limited family farming permitted, and in particular the increased power to control land, has led to marked improvements in the economic circumstances of most minority nationality people. Indeed, in some areas it has been only this which has averted the threat of ‘not having enough to eat'. As elsewhere in China, house-construction has dramatically increased, boosting the allied trades of carpentry (as has the revival of coffin-making), forestry and quarrying, while in minority areas located near major town settlements or market centres, for example in the Dai and the Bai areas, some minority entrepreneurs have emerged as middlemen, money-lenders, and even rice-hoarders, often former leaders of rural production brigades who have the necessary foresight, experience, and connections to forge new links and contacts. In certain areas the introduction, over the past twenty years, of hydro-electric dams, mining, food-processing plants, textile and other light industries has of course resulted in a measure of occupational specialization for minorities which antedates the recent changes. On a lesser scale, the growing policy of opening some of China's less developed areas to foreign-based industries such as tourism and even hunting, has led to the involvement of minorities in sales of quasi-traditional handicrafts and artefacts, performances of quasi-traditional cultural items of songs and dance, and some work in the hotels and allied industries. This can be seen, for example, in the much-visited ‘Sani’ area of Shilin in Yunnan, as also to an extent in the Yao countries of Northwest Guangdong, and although it is too early as yet to predict whether this will become a general phenomenon, certainly the carefully choreographed performances of provincial minority troupes and the locally superintended production of handicraft items, may have an impact in the future in which minority entrepreneurs will seriously challenge state control of these enterprises. Coupled with the emergence of minority entrepreneurs in rapidly developing areas, and the fact that some cash-cropping is already occurring in the autonomous regions, this adds up I think
112
NICHOLAS TAPP
to become prosperous before others), and the replacement of much grain-cultivation by new cash-crops associated with the in- troduction of the household responsibility system, have by no means affected the minority areas to the same extent as other, more fertile, areas of the countryside, and indeed were not intro- duced into most minority areas until 1982 (after the Third Ses- sion"), there is no doubt that the limited family farming permitted, and in particular the increased power to control land, has led to marked improvements in the economic circumstances of most minority nationality people. Indeed, in some areas it has been only this which has averted the threat of ‘not having enough to eat'. As elsewhere in China, house-construction has dramatically increased, boosting the allied trades of carpentry (as has the reviv- al of coffin-making), forestry and quarrying, while in minority areas located near major town settlements or market centres, for example in the Dai and the Bai areas, some minority entrepeneurs have emerged as middlemen, money-lenders, and even rice- hoarders, often former leaders of rural production brigades who have the necessary foresight, experience, and connections to forge new links and contacts. In certain areas the introduction, over the past twenty years, of hydro-electric dams, mining, food-process- ing plants, textile and other light industries has of course resulted in a measure of occupational specialization for minorities which antedates the recent changes. On a lesser scale, the growing policy of opening some of China's less developed areas to foreign-based industries such as tourism and even hunting, has led to the in- volvement of minorities in sales of quasi-traditional handicrafts and artefacts, performances of quasi-traditional cultural items of songs and dance, and some work in the hotels and allied indus- tries. This can be seen, for example, in the much-visited ‘Sani” area of Shilin in Yunnan, as also to an extent in the Yao countries of Northwest Guangdong, and although it is too early as yet to pre- dict whether this will become a general phenomenon, certainly the carefully choreographed performances of provincial minority troupes and the locally superintended production of handicraft items, may have an impact in the future in which minority entrepeneurs will seriously challenge state control of these enter- prises. Coupled with the emergence of minority entrepeneurs in rapidly developing areas, and the fact that some cash-cropping is already occurring in the autonomous regions, this adds up I think
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