ABSTRACT

The chapter is organized into four main parts to discuss international advances in the theoretical understanding of ethnographic fieldwork in the context of China. The first part provides an overview of global advances in anthropology toward understanding gender, risks, opportunities and fieldwork. The second part presents fieldwork risks based on gender based on the fieldwork of the two ethnographers. The third part elaborates on safety concerns of female researchers such as sexual harassment and romantic advances by research participants. It also highlights specific cultural taboos in host communities associated with women's participation in religious customs and rituals. In conclusion, the chapter presents insights to further contribute to the rich traditions of Chinese anthropology. It is necessary for field-workers to face up to the correlation between fieldwork and researchers' safety in social science areas, to pay close attention to the impact and significance of safety issue and to be fully prepared and precautious in making surveys.