KK GIS Network Analysis of Historical Socioeconomic Relations between Muslims and Buddhists in Northwest China

Karl E. RyavecAssociate ProfessorGeography/Geology Dept.University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point

0 25 50 75 100 125

Tang (618-906)

Wuchao/Shiguo (907-959)

Song (960-1278)

Yuan (1279-1367)

Early Ming (1368-1486)

High Ming (1487-1571)

Late Ming (1572-1643)

Early Qing (1644-1721)

High Qing (1722-1795)

Late Qing (1796-1911)

Republic (1912-1948)

People's Republic (1949--1)

Core

Near periphery

Far periphery

Beyond periphery

Distribution of Mosques Across Core and Peripheral Zones of Qing Period China

Establishment of Mosques by dynastic era and core-periphery status

(Watershed boundariesFor Macro-regions?)

World System History and Religion

Some Interesting questions:

-How to map/study economically autonomous sections of the world system (Braudel, Skinner)?

-How to model the world system during the political and cultural peak of Muslims c. 1500s – 1600s?

-How to model changes wrought by growth of the modern capitalist world system (Wallerstein)?

-Mapping the growth and spread of religious establishments as indicators of economic development

Cultural Relations on the Kansu-Tibetan borderby Robert B. Ekvall (1939, The University of Chicago Press).

(note: Cultural relations defined in terms of economic trade patterns between different religious groups)

Regional Socioeconomic Systems

Classic Approach:

Indeed the economic conditions of the …whole country improved only when the Qing dynasty secured peace (i.e. after 1723 in Amdo), and this improvement depended on the vitality of commerce. No trade of real importance had been able to coexist with insecurity on the roads, since trade requires normal and regular transportation facilities and a safe access to the outlets of commerce. For the center of a developed economy a city is required. In this case the city was Hsining, with its group of professional merchants from all over China, associated in guilds according to the Chinese custom (“The Monguors of the Kansu-Tibetan Frontier”. Schram, 1954:269).

Alternative Approach:

The interest of the subjects was centered only on the monastery. There was no need for them to go to the city, since the necessities of life could be secured at the monastery fairs and nobody cared for the Chinese officials, the lamas being their legal officials. Many, many people had never seen or entered a city. The monasteries and their subjects lived their own life, in their own orbit, alien to the city, just as if Chinese officials did not exist (Schram 1954:355)

Trade Fair next to Buddhist Monastery, Amdo early 20th cen.

-Buffer Zones around mosques-problem of arbitrary boundaries (why 6 miles?)

41% of mosques within one day’s round-trip travel to monastic fair

Focus on Tsongkha region of Amdo-Gansu(most towns in this region):

7 ‘cities’ in study area c. 1820 5 not nearest to a monastery with fair(s) 2 nearest (about 28%)

70 ‘market towns’ 52 not nearest to a monastery with fair(s) 18 nearest (26%)

Focus on Labrang (Gannan) region of Amdo-Gansu (few towns in this region):

Future Research

-need to connect all nearest neighbor arcs into one seamless network for all settlements and religious establishments of China and Tibet