From Symbolic to Embodied Spaces

Abstract Through ethnographic observations of funerary practices and everyday life, this article highlights how courtyards function as in-between modes in social cohesion, economic production, and political negotiations. The paper-offering economy, particularly among households engaged in mortuary rituals, exemplifies how courtyards enable small-scale capitalist production. Additionally, the article explores the ‘courtyard political practice mode’, where village governance often takes place in domestic courtyards rather than formal administrative spaces. Courtyards also serve as arenas for performing li (social and ritual protocols), reinforcing social hierarchies and community relationships through hospitality practices. The symbolic significance of courtyards extends into funerary rituals, where paper-offering representations replicate real-life spatial and social arrangements. By conceptualising courtyards as transitional spaces, this article deepens our understanding of their multifaceted role in rural Chinese society, demonstrating their embeddedness in both the living world and the afterlife.