G. William Skinner (1925–2008) was the dean of sinological anthropology in the West, a major theorist of family systems, and a pioneer in applying spatial analysis techniques to the study of agrarian societies. Stevan Harrell, professor of anthropology and environmental and forest sciences at the University of Washington, is the author of Ways of Being Ethnic in Southwest China. William Lavely, professor of international studies and sociology at the University of Washington, is the author of many articles on demography and the family in contemporary China.

"Skinner (d. 2008) was a leading anthropologist of Chinese society, and much more. . . . This is a unique document.""This book deserves to be read by all students of twentieth-century rural China, in particular those with an interest in Sichuan. . . . Skinner's acute observations and his strong sympathy for the people he studied (a sympathy which they apparently returned) remain a model almost seventy years after the fact."- Jacob Eyferth (Pacific Affairs)

• Preface / Stevan Harrell and William LavelyAcknowledgments Maps 1. The Road to Gaodianzi: June–November 1949 2. Settling In: November 12–26 3. A Household Survey and Rumors of the Communists: November 28–December 16 4. Working Out the Market Network as the PLA Approaches: December 13–24 5. Liberation! December 27–January 3 6. The Communists and the Temples: January 5–13 7. The Last Dongyue Temple Festival: January 15–17 8. The Premature End of Fieldwork: January 18–25 Epilogue: January–May 1950 Afterword / Zhijia Shen

G. William Skinner (1925–2008) was the dean of sinological anthropology in the West, a major theorist of family systems, and a pioneer in applying spatial analysis techniques to the study of agrarian societies. Stevan Harrell, professor of anthropology and environmental and forest sciences at the University of Washington, is the author of Ways of Being Ethnic in Southwest China. William Lavely, professor of international studies and sociology at the University of Washington, is the author of many articles on demography and the family in contemporary China.

"Skinner (d. 2008) was a leading anthropologist of Chinese society, and much more. . . . This is a unique document.""This book deserves to be read by all students of twentieth-century rural China, in particular those with an interest in Sichuan. . . . Skinner's acute observations and his strong sympathy for the people he studied (a sympathy which they apparently returned) remain a model almost seventy years after the fact."- Jacob Eyferth (Pacific Affairs)

• Preface / Stevan Harrell and William LavelyAcknowledgments Maps 1. The Road to Gaodianzi: June–November 1949 2. Settling In: November 12–26 3. A Household Survey and Rumors of the Communists: November 28–December 16 4. Working Out the Market Network as the PLA Approaches: December 13–24 5. Liberation! December 27–January 3 6. The Communists and the Temples: January 5–13 7. The Last Dongyue Temple Festival: January 15–17 8. The Premature End of Fieldwork: January 18–25 Epilogue: January–May 1950 Afterword / Zhijia Shen

G. William Skinner (1925–2008) was the dean of sinological anthropology in the West, a major theorist of family systems, and a pioneer in applying spatial analysis techniques to the study of agrarian societies. Stevan Harrell, professor of anthropology and environmental and forest sciences at the University of Washington, is the author of Ways of Being Ethnic in Southwest China. William Lavely, professor of international studies and sociology at the University of Washington, is the author of many articles on demography and the family in contemporary China.

"Skinner (d. 2008) was a leading anthropologist of Chinese society, and much more. . . . This is a unique document.""This book deserves to be read by all students of twentieth-century rural China, in particular those with an interest in Sichuan. . . . Skinner's acute observations and his strong sympathy for the people he studied (a sympathy which they apparently returned) remain a model almost seventy years after the fact."- Jacob Eyferth (Pacific Affairs)

• Preface / Stevan Harrell and William LavelyAcknowledgments Maps 1. The Road to Gaodianzi: June–November 1949 2. Settling In: November 12–26 3. A Household Survey and Rumors of the Communists: November 28–December 16 4. Working Out the Market Network as the PLA Approaches: December 13–24 5. Liberation! December 27–January 3 6. The Communists and the Temples: January 5–13 7. The Last Dongyue Temple Festival: January 15–17 8. The Premature End of Fieldwork: January 18–25 Epilogue: January–May 1950 Afterword / Zhijia Shen