Third Circular

August 4, 2005

Dear Colleagues,

The fourth International Conference on Yi Studies is about to open, and the conference work has gotten active support from participants and elsewhere. With the support of American Anthropologist Professor Stevan Harrell, Vice Director of the Chinese Office for the Translation of Minority Languages Qiesa Vunyo, the Meigu Conference Affairs Committee and the Beijing Conference Affairs Committee have advanced the work of preparing a set of documents in a timely way. The conference website has been entirely redone, and we have also posted the “Illustrated Introduction to Meigu Bimo Culture,” and invite everyone to have a look at http://www.cass.net.cn/chinese/s16_sws/yistudies/index.htm .

At this time we recommend that all conference participants pay close attention to new information being posted on the conference website, and to take the most recently posted information as the correct version. At the same time, we ask everyone to pay special attention to the following points:

1) Activities in conjunction with the conference

There are two other events taking place in Meigu at the same time as this conference, the “Poetic Meigu: People and Nature” International Literary Fair,” and the Second China Yi Bimo Cultural Festival. These events have a rich and varied content, and we recommend that people visit the “Program” section of the website to see the details.

2) Participants and panels

The papers for this conference are divided into eight thematic series, and almost a hundred scholars are going to give formal presentations. For a list of Chinese and foreign scholars participating, and for a detailed listing of the topics to be covered, please look at the “participants” and “sessions and panels” sections of the website.

3) Field trips for foreign scholars

Especially for the benefit of foreign scholars who have come a long way to attend the conference, we have arranged two days of field investigations, for which the detailed arrangements can be found in the “field investigation” section of the website. Because of limitations imposed by considerations of time, personnel, transport, and other factors, the conference committee is not able to arrange such field tours for Chinese participants, and we hope that everyone will understand and accept our apologies.

4) Questions of transfer in Xichang

a) The conference has set up a meeting point in the prefectural capital of Xichang, primarily in order to facilitate the transfer of Chinese and foreign scholars from Xichang to Meigu. Ma Erzi and Mosi Cyhuo are taking primary responsibility for coordinating with the Meigu Conference Committee. Those who are transferring in Xichang should arrive there no later than 10: 00 a .m. on August 19, and should take responsibility for their own accommodations and meals in Xichang.

b) In consideration for those scholars who may arrive in Xichang earlier than that, the Meigu Conference Committee will set up a temporary place of business at the Liangshan Prefecture Nationalities Research Institute in Xichang, where they will take care of conference registration and return ticket business for scholars attending the conference. The Conference committee will also arrange buses for conference participants from Xichang to Meigu at 12:00 noon on August 19.

c) All scholars should make their own arrangements for meals and lodging in Xichang both going to and coming from Meigu. For relevant information concerning transport, lodging, meals and other matters in Xichang, please visit the “local information” section of the website, or make your own arrangements directly, or inquire with the Meigu Conference Committee for further information.

d) Scholars who are going directly to Meigu should arrive by 8:00 p.m. on August 19, and register in the lobby of the Meigu Government Hotel.

5. Return Tickets

In order to unify return ticket reservations, please do not contact the Xichang connection point . Instead, the Meigu Conference Committee will delegate a person exclusively responsible for arranging return plane and train tickets for conference representatives. If you need help with arranging a return plane or train ticket from Xichang, please send the following information to the Meigu Conference Committee before 5:00 p.m. on August 18: Name, ID or passport number; return route including departure and destination points; day of departure, and preferred flight or train number if known. The Meigu Conference Committee has set up a special fax line for the purpose, (0834)- 824-1697 (contact person: Gaha Shizhe). Or you can contact them at the main office of the Meigu Bimo Cultural Research Center , (0834) 824-3110 (contact person: Jilang Wuye). At the same time, we want to remind everyone that the end of August is the time when students are returning to educational institutions everywhere, and the Meigu Conference Committee cannot make any absolute guarantees of availability of tickets; by saying this in advance, we hope to have everyone's understanding.

6. Due to considerations of time and personnel availability, the Beijing Conference Committee will use email to send information about the conference program and about sessions and panels to all participants, as well as sending relevant copies of papers or paper abstracts to session chairs and discussants, and will not be sending paper copies by regular or express mail. Please remember to check your email frequently!

Thanks to Everyone!
We look forward to meeting you all in Meigu!

Organizing Committee
The 4th International Conference on Yi Studies