I forget in which book I saw Fei Lao's "Gangchon Economy", and the author's brief description at that time was that this is a sociological book suitable for most people to read, which has both the basic methods of sociology and great practical significance.
Immediately planted grass, it happened that weChat reading also received copyright, so in more than a week of commuting time, roughly read the whole book. It is also very rewarding, so I want to use words to help myself comb through the contents of the book again, and I am also reading the whole book extensively.
But anyone who has a rough understanding of sociology, or even a penchant for reading, has heard of Fei Xiaotong and his book Native China. At that time, it was the classwork assigned by the sociology teacher, so that I could write a post-reading feeling of "Native China" and open the book for the first time. But after opening a small chapter, I was immediately attracted and completely forgot that this was a hard-appointed reading assignment.
Fei Lao's writings are always somewhat "rustic", rooted in every field experience and investigation, and directly and forcefully expound the essence that is contained behind the appearance. This "Gangchon Economy" has the same magic, even in the noisy and crowded environment of the subway, it can still make people engrossed, in the small village where the water lives.
The book was written in 1938, before the founding of the People's Republic of China, but the book's ideas still seem unconventional and even today. For example, in his chapter "Home", he discusses marriage in a passage that states: "Although the legal act of marriage is to have children, marriage is always to have offspring."
The expectation of having children precedes marriage. In the countryside, the main purpose of marriage is to ensure the succession of the family. "Although this was a common idea in the countryside in the last century, it is still the case today." "Marrying a wife and having children" is a familiar term, and in economically backward areas such as rural areas, women are even bought and sold at great costs, and then the obligation to pass on the generations is fulfilled. The factor driving this behavior is the inheritance of incense.
Although the examples are extreme, they also clearly show that marriage cannot escape the silent rule of succession. There are also many confirmations in real life, such as female infertility, most of which will be degraded by the in-laws, and the higher probability will lead to divorce; the second half of the sentence of marriage is followed by a hurry to have children.
Elder Fei also summed up the reasons why the villagers wanted children, "The desire to have children is for a dual motive: the first is to pass on the ancestors; the second is to show filial piety to the ancestors." In fact, there is another layer of meaning that is, the continuation of incense, and the ancestral hall needs to be constantly sacrificed to the ancestors.
Chinese faith is their ancestors, the longevity of incense, representing our remembrance of the deceased ancestors, but also to pin our own mourning, hoping that the ancestors can bless the living children. Based on this level of understanding, people's attachment to heirs seems to be justified.
The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law has been an old problem since ancient times, and even in the villages of the last century described by Fei Lao, the elderly people also expect their daughters-in-law to be able to bear and raise children, but also to bring a certain economic contribution. This is something that can be glimpsed in most people's homes today, and if a new daughter-in-law is unable to have children or never works, it will be criticized. Traditional concepts shackle ideas, and the economy is fundamentally formed into a way of interaction. Even if one party can compromise, the family will not fly and jump.
The discussion of industrial transformation and development in "Gangcun Economy" also won my heart. The reformers have said something like this: "It is much easier to organize new factories in a capitalist way, but why should I do this?" Should I work for the benefit of the capitalists and make the people more miserable? "If Chinese industry can only develop at the expense of poor peasants, I think the price will be too great." The development of the times naturally requires the efforts and sacrifices of a group of people, but if the sacrifices are all poor people, and the people standing at the forefront are still complacent and grasp the pulse of the times, calling themselves the tide, it is a joke.
Today, money is almost the pinnacle of everything, and having money can make ghost grinding a fact that many young people acquiesce. Money is not omnipotent, but without money it is impossible, working for life, not willing but also to be a hard worker, many times we are chasing life for money, and then lose life. Many things exist only in the plan, not because there is no time, not because there is no energy, but only because there is no money. Elder Fei also said in the title of his relatives that in the family, the loudest voice is not necessarily the oldest, but often the financial resources are relatively strong. Without economic independence, there is delusional personality independence, and if you are economically dependent on others, you will never have the right to speak.
"Gangchon Economy" describes the state of the countryside in the language of sociology, whether it is friends from the countryside or friends who have lived in the city since childhood, they can look at the countryside with a more objective eye. The development of the countryside has natural laws and follows the conventions of thousands of years, which is a force for barbaric growth. It is also like the tail wing of the era, every time the era changes, it will throw the tail once, although the end is always at the end, but it is always connected to the torso.