Commodifying heritage, looking for authenticity : negotiating interpretations of identity and culture in Manchu ethnic tourism

Abstract

Ethnic tourism has been popular among urban tourists in China since the 1990s because they want to observe the lifestyles and consume the products of communities with substantial ethnic minority populations. Economic development and the increasing longing for a simple life and harmonious social relations in China further generate people’s interest in ethnic tourism. This thesis investigates how archetypes of Manchu culture and identity influence the presentation of Manchu ethnic tourism. It also explores how the people living and working in areas where Manchu ethnic tourism is a major industry, who will be known as ‘locals’, contribute to these archetypes through the analysis of a case study about Hetu’ala Ancient City (Hetu’ala gucheng 赫圖阿拉古城), a park promoting Manchu ethnic heritage located in a rural village in Liaoning Province. The key questions addressed in this thesis are what archetypes of Manchu identity are, what histories and cultural products form these Manchu archetypes, how does the recently restored ancient park present an ‘authentic’ version of Manchu-ness to generate tourism, and how do the locals reflect Manchu ethnic identity in everyday life when there is already a designated narrative of Manchu-ness in tourism. The paper also discusses how Manchu ethnic identity is articulated to different audiences: the general public, the tourists, and the locals. This thesis argues that different parties simultaneously reinforce and challenge the multiple expressions about the Manchus. The major findings of this research were derived from evidence collected in 2019 and in 2020. Participant observation and interviews during the fieldwork and the collection and analysis of primary sources such as gazetteers, tour guide scripts, and local advertisements about ethnic tourism were conducted. This research’s key finding is that it extends the application of the archetype concept in ethnic tourism studies and considers how the tourism setting is built upon archetypes of the Manchu ethnic group. It also contributes to the understanding of Chinese ethnic tourism in northeast China from a new perspective since previous research on ethnic tourism has largely focused on southwest China. In addition, this thesis explores the interactions between the urban tourists and the rural hosts and how the power of explaining ethnic culture is affected by ethnic tourism. It shows that locals working in Manchu ethnic tourism play a vital role in this industry, which was previously regarded as a top-down initiative directed by higher-level officials. They largely shape the common interpretations of what it means to be Manchu in the tourism arena. Furthermore, this work also serves as a study of current living conditions and cultural development of the Manchu ethnic group and thus makes a significant contribution to Manchu studies.