Xiang Biao

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Based on 6 years of immersive participant observation in Beijing’s Zhejiang Village—a bustling enclave of Wenzhou migrant entrepreneurs—*Transcending Boundaries* challenges Western-dominated social science frameworks that often misinterpret Chinese social dynamics. Author Xiang Biao unpacks how this community thrived beyond formal systems, building a nationwide circulation network rooted in flexible, overlapping family and business ties. He critiques outdated theories like embeddedness and the traditional-modern dichotomy, introducing localized concepts such as *xi* (a dynamic, individual-centered network) and "cluster of relations" to explain the village’s resilience—from evading government crackdowns to bouncing back stronger after the 1995 mass cleanup. This ethnographic study advocates for centering everyday practices over abstract theories, offering a fresh lens to understand migrant communities, informal economies, and the interplay between grassroots networks and state institutions.