Zou Xiaodan 邹晓丹

Education:
B.A., Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai

Research Interests:
Chinese culture; Kinship; Folk ritual

Introduction:
I am rooted, but I flow.

Supervisor: Dr Charles Wong Kian Hoe

Thesis Title: A Study on the “Coming-out-of-the-Garden” Coming-of-Age Ceremony in the Chaoshan Area (tentative)

In the Lingnan area, especially in the Chaoshan area and some Hakka areas, there exists a coming-of-age ceremony that usually takes place at the age of fifteen, which is known as “coming out of the garden” in folklore. The purpose of this thesis is to study and explore the “out of the garden” coming-of-age ceremony, in order to reveal its basic outline, the process and meaning of the ceremony, its social function, and its relationship with folk beliefs. This thesis aims to fill in the gap between the rites of passage and adult consciousness of the Han Chinese culture, and at the same time to provide an important reference for people growing up in modern life.