ABSTRACT
Shifting cultivation became a hot issue in China during 1980s and was the subject of debate among national and international scholars. This chapter redefines the meaning of shifting cultivation and attempts to show its essence, based on comprehensive fieldwork. It included a vertical historical study of the shifting cultivation of ancient ethnic minorities, such as the Qiang, Pu, Miaoyao and Yue, as well as fixed fieldwork on Jinuo shifting cultivation in Xishuangbanna prefecture, Yunnan province. Social organization, land tenure, tradition and farming customs have not only been refined over centuries for best food production, but are also effective mechanisms to guarantee that the entire system of shifting cultivation will be sustainable. Using a systematic research method to analyse its structure and function can help us to understand the ecological essence and cultural meaning of shifting cultivation and the dynamic changes that are taking place within it.
