Despite the upheavals of collectivisation and reform, the nomadic pastoralists of Amdo, in the north-eastern part of the Tibetan plateau, maintain that they substantially retain historic forms of tribal organisation. The governmental structures of the modern Chinese state have replaced the hereditary rulers, kings and monastic leaders who formerly exercised leadership over the nomads' tribes. However, ideologies of revenge and practices of feuding still characterise relations between tribal groups. Moreover, the nomads continue to turn to senior Buddhist lamas as mediators, despite the criminal sanctions imposed by the police. It is suggested that these elements represent a continuity in tribal forms within the framework of control now exercised by the nation state. An uneasy relationship between tribes and state has long characterised this region and continues to do so in the modern world.
目次
Introduction 83 The Study Area of Amdo 84 History of Political Authority 85 Effects of the Chinese Occupation 87 Contemporary Social Organisation 89 Feuding and Mediation 90 Individualism 93 Tribal Organisation 95 Comparisons with Mongolian Nomadic Political Structures 96 Conclusion: Relations Between Tribe and State 97 Acknowledgements 98 Notes 98 References 99
