On July 10th, the “Legal Anthropology: Splendid China · Grassland” academic symposium, hosted by the IMU Law School, the North Frontier Legal Culture Research Center, and the Legal Anthropology Cloud Reading Club, was held in Hohhot. Nearly a hundred experts and scholars from Peking University, Renmin University of China, Wuhan University, Jilin University, Central South University, Ocean University of China, Hunan Normal University, Northwest University of Political Science and Law, South-Central Minzu University, Shanghai International Studies University, Gansu University of Political Science and Law, Guizhou Minzu University, Shanxi Datong University, Inner Mongolia University, Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Federation of Social Sciences, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Hohhot Minzu College, and legal practice departments such as the the Higher People's Court of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Forestry and Grassland Administration of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region attended this symposium. Prof. Ding Peng, Dean of the Law School of IMU, presided over the opening ceremony.

Du Fenglian, Vice President of IMU, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. She pointed out that the grasslands, as an important ecological barrier in Inner Mongolia and even in northern China, the legal construction of grasslands not only concerns regional stability and development but also is an important part of the national ecological civilization construction. The successful holding of this symposium will play a promoting role in further enhancing the research level of legal culture in the northern border area, the construction level of the law discipline of IMU, and the quality of legal talent cultivation.

Wu Enqi, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Federation of Social Sciences, stated in his remarks that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions to Inner Mongolia provide fundamental guidance for the construction of Culture of the Northern Frontier of China and Northern Frontier Legal System. Legal anthropology, with its unique perspective and method, deeply analyzes the complex relationship between law and society offering valuable insights into legal practices in different cultural contexts. The convening of this symposium not only injects new vitality and impetus into the development of social science undertakings in Inner Mongolia but also contributes valuable wisdom to the construction of grassland rule of law in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and even the whole country.

Liu Lili, Deputy Director of the Social and Legal Affairs Committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region CPPCC, said in her speech that this academic symposium provides a rare opportunity to deeply understand the legal phenomena and legal needs in grassland areas. Through interdisciplinary exchanges and dialogues, further deepening the research on the rule of law culture in the northern frontier region will have significant and far-reaching impacts on thoroughly understanding Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, forging a strong sense of community of the Chinese nation, and promoting the prosperity and development of the pluralistic and integrated pattern of the Chinese nation.

Prof. Su Li from the Law School of Peking University delivered the keynote report of the conference, titled “The Grassland and My Legal Research.” Based on the fundamental principle that the social and economic foundation determines the superstructure, he examines, analyzes, and reflects from a social structural functionalist perspective on how the natural environment of grassland areas shapes the production and lifestyles, institutions, and broad culture of grassland. He proposes that legal anthropology or, more broadly, legal and social sciences research should deeply analyze causes and effects, absorbing and utilizing the research findings, knowledge, and perspectives of many other humanities and social sciences, aiming to make discoveries.

Researcher Fellow Jian Xiaowen, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences, served as the commentator. He highlighted that Inner Mongolia has a profound cultural heritage and is a model of cultural exchange and integration among various ethnic groups. The legal culture in Inner Mongolia can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty. This vast land has given birth to Hongshan culture and Dayao culture. In our external propaganda, we not only need to introduce the magnificent grasslands of Inner Mongolia, but also excavate typical cases of Inner Mongolia's high-quality development and strive to write a new chapter in Chinese-style modernization.

The keynote report session was presided over by Long Changhai, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Law School of IMU. The first unit of the symposium, “The Chinese Portrait of Grassland Rule of Law”, was presided over by Chang An, Dean of the Graduate School of Northwest University of Political Science and Law, and Researcher Fellow Zhu Meng, Vice President of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences serving as a commentator. Prof. Hou Meng from the Law School of Renmin University of China, Researcher Fellow Wen Ming, Director of the Pastoral Area Development Research Institute of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences, Prof. Sang Benqian, Dean of the Law School of Ocean University of China, and Prof. Peng Zhongli, Vice Dean of the Law School of Central South University, respectively gave keynote speeches on the topics of "I Come from the Grassland: Historical and Geographical Analysis of Law" "From Overgrazing to Rest and Rehabilitation on the Grassland: Meaning, Dilemma and Way Out" "The Grassland is a Sea on Land" and "The Concept of National Policy in the Chinese Legal Context".

The second unit of the symposium, “Contemporary Practice of Grassland Rule of Law” was presided over by Prof. Yu Ming from the Law School of East China University of Political Science and Law, and Guo Jun, editor of “Inner Mongolia Social Sciences” (Chinese Edition), served as the commentator. Assoc.Prof. Saqironggui from the Law School of IMU, Assoc.Prof. Dai Qin from the Law School of IMU, and Dr. Qiruona from the Law School of Wuhan University respectively gave keynote speeches on the topics of "Romantic Love or Illegal Act-Legal Anthropological Interpretation of ‘Meeting at the Obo’” “Improvement of the Basic Grassland Protection System” and “Policy and Adaptation: Strategies and Vulnerabilities of Inner Mongolian Herdsmen in Coping with Climate Change”.

The third unit of the symposium, “Interdisciplinary Dimensions of Grassland Rule of Law” was presided over by Ni Wenyan from the Research Center for Rule of Law and the Construction of the Chinese National Community of Northwest University of Political Science and Law, and Assoc.Prof. Li Chengyu from the School of Humanities and Law of Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology served as the commentator. Prof. Han Bao from the Civil, Commercial and Economic Law School of Gansu University of Political Science and Law, Assoc.Prof. Liu Shunfeng from the Law School of Hunan Normal University, Assoc.Prof. Wang Weichen from the Law School of Shanghai International Studies University, and Assoc.Prof. Guo Jing from the Law School of Guizhou Minzu University respectively gave keynote speeches on the topics of “Looking for Keywords of Legal Geography” “Judicial Adjudication Paradigm in Tribal Societies” “On Law Is Not Local Knowledge-Based on the Comparison of Legal Ethnographies around the World” and “The Legal View of Nomadic Peoples in North American Indian Cultural Narratives”.

The fourth unit of the symposium, “Historical Vision of Grassland Rule of Law” was presided over by Guo Xiangnan, Deputy Director of the general editorial office of Shanxi People's Publishing House, and Assoc.Prof. Wang Xu from the Law School of IMU served as the commentator. Prof. Narenchaogetu from the Law School of IMU, Prof. Yang Qiang from the School of Rule of Law of Northwest University of Political Science and Law, Prof. Hu Chunxiang, Dean of the Law School of Hohhot Minzu College, and lecturer Su Ya from the School of Humanities of Inner Mongolia University of Technology respectively gave keynote speeches on the topics of “The Attraction and Integration of the ‘Mongolian Regulations’ in the Qing Dynasty to the Indigenous Law of Mongolia” “On the Three Transformations of the Mongolian Legal System” “Cultural Research on the Ancient Mongol 'Divine Judgment' System” and “Social Changes and Judicial Application in Tumote Area in the Qing Dynasty”.

The fifth unit of the symposium, “Cultural Interpretation of Grassland Rule of Law” was presided over by Guo Rui, Director of the Office of the Social and Legal Affairs Committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region CPPCC, and Prof. Zhu Zhizhou from the Law School of IMU served as the commentator. Minister Han Weilin of the Social Science Popularization Department of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Federation of Social Sciences, Judge A Rong from the Fifth Civil Division of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Higher People's Court, Hu Man from the National Security School of Northwest University of Political Science and Law, and Jiao Yingda from the Law School of IMU respectively gave keynote speeches on the topics of “Order and Law Just Flow Deep in the Grassland-Taking ‘The Light of the Same Moon’ and ‘Arshan River' as Examples’” “Cultural Interpretation of the Mongolian ‘Er Ye’ Thought” “From Rights Protection to the Construction of Chinese National Community: On the Protection and Inheritance of Inner Mongolia Intangible Cultural Heritage” and “Promoting the Construction of Northern Frontier Culture of China and Enhancing Chinese Cultural Confidence”.

The sixth unit of the symposium, “Diverse Explorations of Grassland Rule of Law” was presided over by Niu Yanrong from the School of Foreign Languages of Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, and Zhang Yadong from the Law School of Shanxi Datong University served as the commentator. Cao Chenguang, judicial assistant of Zhuozi County People’s Court in Ulanqab, Bao Ruiman, doctoral student from the Law School of Jilin University, Li Yufeng, master's degree student from the Law School of IMU, and Liu Yubo, doctoral student from the School of Ethnology and Sociology of South-Central Minzu University respectively gave keynote speeches on the topics of “From Dispute Resolution to Pluralistic Co-governance: The Practical Changes of Judicial Governance in Agricultural and Pastoral Interlaced Areas-Based on a Case Study of the Siziwang Banner Court in Inner Mongolia” “Constructing Pathways for Litigation Source Governance in Grassroots Judiciary-From the Perspective of the ‘Horseback Court' in the New Era’” “What is the right of state-owned grassland use?” and “The Deconstruction and Reorganization of Kazakh Herdsmen’s Communities under the Changes of Grassland Property Rights-Based on a Case Study of a Pastoral Area in Jimunai County”.

Saqironggui from the Law School of IMU and Liu Shunfeng from the Law School of Hunan Normal University respectively made conference summaries at the closing ceremony of the symposium.