Wujiang Commemorates 90th Anniversary of Fei Xiaotong's Jiangcun Field Study
Scholars and officials gathered in Wujiang, China, to mark the 90th anniversary of Fei Xiaotong’s field research and launch a new social survey center.
On November 1, Wujiang District officials and academic researchers convened in Kaixiangong Village to mark the 90th anniversary of anthropologist Fei Xiaotong’s seminal field study in the region. The event served as the launchpad for the new Fei Xiaotong Social Survey Center, which aims to continue his practice of qualitative, site-based sociological inquiry.
Zhang Yi, president of the Chinese Sociological Association, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of grounding academic research in firsthand observations of rural life. He argued that Fei’s methodology remains a relevant framework for evaluating the complexities of modern social development in China.
Local authorities in Wujiang announced plans to formalize partnerships with regional universities to create dedicated research sites. The district intends to utilize these collaborations to inform rural revitalization policies, local governance improvements, and cultural economic development.