New Books Network Suvi Rautio, "The Invention of Tradition in China: Story of a Village and a Nation Remade" (Springer Nature, 2024)
Dec 25, 2025
Suvi Rautio, a social anthropologist and author, discusses her latest work on the remaking of Meili Village in China. She reveals how heritage projects, aligned with Xi Jinping's vision, reshape local traditions amid political pressures. Rautio examines the complex dynamics between local practices and technocratic oversight, highlighting gender roles in craft production and the transformation of Dong singing into a commodified performance. This unique lens unpacks the intricate interplay between nationalism, ethnicity, and rural revitalization in contemporary China.
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From Greenpeace To Meili
- Suvi first researched rural heritage after working for Greenpeace and living in Fujian before being invited to a Guizhou project.
- A short preliminary visit to Meili pulled her into long-term ethnography because it was populated and actively engaged in a heritage scheme.
The Panoramic Gaze Of Experts
- Technocratic experts produce conservation plans from a panoramic detached vantage that privileges material authenticity.
- That objective stance often sidelines villagers' voices and reproduces standardized models across different sites.
Material Compromise As Negotiation
- Material compromises reveal how villagers negotiate heritage rules by exploiting planning ambiguities.
- Villagers reframe objections in cultural terms to influence outcomes while preserving status and modern comforts.