Traditional Methods for Measuring Time Use by Ethnic Minorities in South West China

Abstract

AbstractBased on an extensive personal investigation and study of the ethnographic literature, three methods of observation that are still used for time measurement in various minority nationality areas in South West China are reviewed: observation of the terrestrial environment; observation of the celestial environment; and use of specially constructed instruments. The sequence of developments in time measurement and the motivations behind them are analysed from the point of view of the 'needs theory' of Maslow. Physiological needs are deduced to be dominant among those who obtain food by gathering, fishing and hunting. To fulfil these needs, such people initially consider changes in the terrestrial environment and determine time by observing objects in that environment. Because errors made in determining the time have caused people's safety to be jeopardised, 'safety needs' have emerged as an important motivation for finding more accurate means to measure time. In their search for more refined methods o...