• Recently, the popular “Da Bing” (Big Ice) on Douyin (TikTok) has been frequently seen with short video accounts extracted from her live streams. A listener who joined a live call asked: “Da Bing, I want to sell my house in Xi’an and return home to settle down.” Da Bing responded: “At your age, you’re in your early thirties; you can’t settle down. Your parents are on the path of aging, your children haven’t started a family or established themselves, and if you return home, you’ll still need to deal with the poren.” Let’s set aside whether the viewpoint is right or wrong, what does the term “poren” mean?

Township Brahmins: The “Big Shots” of Small Places

In many small county towns, people often talk about so-called “township brahmins”—the existence of these individuals seems to be a symbol of local society. They are not necessarily genuine religious figures and do not possess “high-level” titles; rather, they are seemingly ordinary but nonetheless influential people. They represent “power, status, and influence” within that county town, symbolizing a particular class or stratum in that area.

What is an “Xiancheng Babao?”

First, we need to understand that “Babao” originally referred to the highest caste in Indian society, representing wisdom, authority, and spiritual supremacy. In China’s county towns, the term “Xiancheng Babao” doesn’t have such a complex religious background; it’s more of a metaphor for a social phenomenon.

Simply put, an “Xiancheng Babao” can be understood as some “cultural authorities” within the county town – such as teachers, doctors, well-known merchants, and officials. Although their positions may seem ordinary, in this relatively closed environment, they possessed a comparatively higher social status, or their opinions and actions had influence that could not be ignored.

Who is the “County Town Brahmin”?

In county towns, you’ll find figures like this – the “Brahmin” – in almost every industry. They might be:

• Educators: Particularly teachers who have spent decades working in the area, not necessarily graduates of prestigious universities, but who understand how to build credibility through knowledge and are widely respected.
• Local Government Officials: Deputy county magistrates, section chiefs, etc., who control certain resources and power – even if their positions aren’t high-ranking, their limited scope of authority can make them local “Brahmins.”
• Local “Entrepreneurs”: Some business owners in county towns, though not large in scale, hold a certain amount of wealth and have a voice in the area. They might run one or two well-known small local businesses, wielding considerable influence within the county town.

These people, while not as prominent as figures in larger cities or high-ranking officials, hold a status almost equivalent to “cultural elders” or “centers of power” within this small community.

The Status of “County Town Brahmins” – How Does it Impact Society?

To truly understand the significance of “county town brahmins,” we must consider the unique environment of the county town. Here, information flow is slower than in large cities, and social class mobility is relatively fixed. These “brahmins” often gained prestige, knowledge, and networks through long-term dedication to the local area. They influence various aspects of local politics, economics, and culture.

1. Cultural Influence: In small places, especially where education systems are not as developed and people have limited choices, local “brahmins” subtly shape the cultural atmosphere through knowledge transmission in classrooms, explanations in media, and even moral guidance in social settings.

2. Concentration of Social Resources: Due to the limited population and resources of county towns, these “brahmins” are often one of the primary controllers of local resources. Whether it’s social welfare, policy implementation, or approval of certain projects, they invariably have an influence. Their power of speech and decision-making allows them to hold a prominent position in local society.

3. A Networked Structure of Relationships: In a relatively closed small society, interpersonal relationships are crucial. These “county town brahmins” build strong social networks to control information flow and resource allocation, enabling them to play a decisive role at critical moments.

The Metaphor of the “County Sharma”

Despite often being revered and admired, this position of “high above” is not without its issues. In modern society, it’s easy to see that many “Sharmas” – those in county-level positions – lack genuine ability and innovative spirit; instead, they maintain their status through hereditary relationships and resource monopolies. With the development of informatization, these “Sharmas’” power is gradually being broken, and new social mobility is beginning to influence the appearance of small counties.

Overall, “County Sharma” is a fascinating social phenomenon that reflects the power and cultural structures within local societies. Although their “power” may not directly threaten national governance, they are undoubtedly key figures within the region. In this era of rapid information flow and accelerating social change, these “Sharmas” in county towns may be facing unprecedented challenges.

Conclusion

None of this would have happened if we hadn’t started with curiosity about what a ‘purohito’ was, and then tossed it to kimi. The result was surprisingly funny – I could see the web interface already pulling up search results, but suddenly they were unable to be displayed as related content. Then I wondered, did this word have some special significance? So I threw it at ChatGPT, and that’s how this article came about.