Abstract: By jumping out of the traditional thinking which studies from the inside of “blood kinship”, and focus on affinity and geographical relationship, we can find that the ancestors are the mark of the Bunu-Yao determine the exogamy, identify and handle interpersonal relationship. The relationship between people and their ancestors is one closely connected with practice, even the relationship among ancestors is mutually cooperative. Therefore, the ancestors make difference in blood kinship, affinity and geographical relationship. They are “social public gods” as well as “family’s gods”, which indicates the endeavor of local belief to resolve the contradiction between individual and collective in society.

Key words: the Bunu-Yao, ancestor worship, affinity, geographical relationship