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Hainan Research Institute of Ethnic Groups

Hainan Research Institute of Ethnic Groups is the only ethnic research institute which conduct researches in all fields of ethnicity. The institute was originally named as Guangdong Province Research Office of Li and Miao Minority Groups in Hainan. In 1981, the Research Office was upgraded to research institute. By 1987 in order to reinforce safeguarding of Li and Miao’s textile techniques, Ethnic Textile Research Institute of Li and Miao in Autonomous Region in Guangdong Hainan was established. In 1988, Hainan was restructured as a province of China and as a special economic zone. The institute was then upgraded into two research institutes of provincial level, which are Hainan Research Institute of Ethnic Groups and Hainan Research Institute of Li Textile Techniques. On 22nd April 2003, two institutes were combined and renamed as Hainan Research Institute of Ethnic Groups following the decision made by Hainan Provincial Government and Standing Committee of Hainan Province.

The newly structured Research Institute of Ethnic Groups in Hainan is affiliated with Hainan Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Hainan Province. It is composed of Administration Office, Social and Economic Development Research Office, Ethnic History and Cultures Office, Information Resource Research Office, Industrial Art Design Office, and Ethnic Textile Research Office. It carries out researches in the fields of politics, economics, culture, art, science, education, and health with relation to historic and contemporary issues.

The theoretical researches it conducts provide scientific base for decision-making authorities such as Hainan provincial government and Standing Committee of Hainan Province. The institute functions to publish books in relation to ethnic theories, ethnic laws, social and economic development in ethnic groups, languages of ethnic groups, and republish ancient books in relation to ethnic groups in China, and to safeguard and develop textile techniques. It is also responsible for gathering information and materials from ethnic groups in Hainan and analyzing data collected.

The institute has only developed for a short period of twenty years along with the development of Hainan Province. The research capacity, equipment, achievement, personnel, reputation may have gaps if it is compared with research institutes in inland China. However the institute takes advantages of its geographic location and specialty, and accomplished a series of research projects and social surveys of provincial, national and even international level, which contributes greatly to Hainan’s economic and cultural prosperity.

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