Remnants of Matriarchy in Li Society

Abstract

In 1982 the Li minority had 817,600 members, most of whom lived in the Li and Miao autonomous prefectures on Hainan Island. Li culture has a long history. According to archaeological data, the ancestors of the Li already lived in the prosperous stage of the matrilineal gens during the Shang and Zhou periods (eleventh century-770 B.C.). By the time of the Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644), much of Li society had entered the feudal stage. However, numerous matriarchal remnants still survived and found expression in the organization of production, social activities, institutions of marriage and family, and descent systems. The remnants of the matriarchy were especially evident in those parts of Hainan Island (e.g., Ledong, Baisha, and Baoting counties) where the Hemu system prevailed within the extended patrilineal family. The Hemu was an organization of joint ownership and cooperative production, formed by several households whose members were related through the patrilineal line. This aspect of evolution in Li...