I think Lee's confusion regarding Hxaro was pretty understandable given Western ideas of wealth/ wealth accumulation and goods exchange.Hxaro exchange, far from being a mere bartering of goods, is a means of social exchange wherein interaction and the cementing of interpersonal relationships are valued more highly than the goods in circulation. Unlike barter trade, wherein benefits largely accrue to the individual, the benefits of Hxaro are shared among its participants as it also functions as a means of leveling wealth differences as well as maintaining good social relations and alleviating conflict. Lee’s initial lack of understanding stemmed from his inability to comprehend that the value of goods were incidental (though not entirely unimportant) in Hxaro- the value of items often being played down in the process of exchange. Rather than creating material wealth, Hxaro represents a person’s wealth (measured by his number of friends), which waxes or wanes depending on his will to maintain the relationship through exchange.

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