David Crockett Graham (1884–1961)

David Crockett Graham was an American missionary, naturalist, museum curator and anthropological fieldworker who lived for decades in Sichuan. His collecting and research ranged across the peoples, archaeology and natural history of Southwest China, and included early work connected with the Sanxingdui discoveries.

His Qiang research documented social life, oral tradition, religion and ceremonial practice at a time when few detailed ethnographies of the region were available. Of particular importance was his attention to Qiang ritual specialists—the figures now commonly referred to in Chinese as shibi—and to the ceremonies, sacred narratives and community knowledge preserved through their practice.