Economic Anthropology with Chinese Characteristics: Yang Tingshuo Xiangji (Interphase) Operational Theoretical Model

The Chinese economic anthropological theorist Professor Yang Tingshuo based on his understanding of China as well as his intensive ethnographic work, has put forward the “interphase (Xiangji) economic principle theoretical model” in the process of localization of economic anthropology in China. It is one of the significant new contributions to the development of economic anthropology theory by Chinese scholars. This paper holds the opinion that Yang’s masterpiece work represents the best efforts of Chinese scholars’ to localize economic anthropology in China. We cannot underestimate its theoretical contribution and significance in terms of practical guidance in national and regional economic development. It provides a theoretical and practical scheme for the country to build a comparatively affluent society, especially for the development of minority areas in the Western part of the country; at the same time, it provides a theoretical model of economic anthropology for regional economic and -societal development in areas that are similar to the Western part of China in other parts of the world.