Fei Xiaotong (1910—2005) was a native of Wujiang. He was admitted to the Preparatory Department of Soochow University in 1928. Fei then was enrolled by Yanjing University and studied at Department of Sociology in 1930. After his graduation in 1933, Fei did his master programme at Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Tsinghua University. In the summer of 1936, Fei went to UK to further his education. The year 1938 witnessed him being awarded a Ph D degree by School of Philosophy of University of College London. The young scholar worked as a professor at Yunnan University and Southwest Associated University after he returned home. In 1945, Fei Xiaotong joined China Democratic League and participated in patriotic movements. He worked as a professor at Tsinghua University and at the same time served as Vice Director of the Academic Affairs Office. Fei took a succession of posts, including Vice Director of the Institute of Nationality Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Vice President of Minzu University of China, Vice Director of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Vice Chairman of the Basic Law Drafting Committee of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Director of the Institute of Sociology of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Director of the Chinese Sociological Association, Chairman and later Honorary President of the 6th Central Committee of China Democratic League, Vice Chairman of the 6th CPPCC National Committee, Vice Chairman of the 7th and 8th National People’s Congress. Fei Xiaotong was the founder of Chinese sociology and anthropology. He was awarded the Malinowski Honorary Prize by the International Society for Applied Anthropology in the spring of 1980, a medal issued by the Royal Anthropology Institute of Great Britain and Ireland in the spring of 1981 and was elected as an honorary academician of the School of Economics and Political Science of University of London. Fei was a prolific writer, whose masterpieces included Jiang Cun Jing Ji (Peasant Life in China), Sheng Yu Zhi Du (The System of Reproduction) and Xiang Tu Zhong Guo (Rural China), etc. His major academic works can be found in An Anthology of Fei Xiaotong’s Essays.
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