Abstract: There are two research orientations of universalism and relativism in understanding regional knowledge in academic field.The former proposes that the research purpose of ethnology is to find the common configuration of human culture or the universal law,while the latter holds that all cultures are different,and that the real task for ethnology is to focus on their difference and promote mutual understanding.This paper tries to illustrate the essence of the research on regional knowledge in the academic field.

Key words: regional knowledge, multiple cultures, universalism, reflection