China’s Heritage through History: Reconfigured Pasts

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• Dr Yujie Zhu, Australian National University
• Wednesday 20 November 2024, 13:00-14:00
• Online.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Geonyoung Kim.

This talk, based on my new book China’s Heritage through History, explores how China’s transition from empire to nation-state in the late 19th and early 20th centuries catalysed the development of heritage laws, archaeological methods, and museums as strategic responses to Western imperialism, wars, and the drive for national sovereignty. During this transformative period, the past was reconfigured as a vital political and social tool. China’s officials and intellectuals utilised archaeology and museology not only for the preservation of antiquities but also to craft modern cultural identity. The formalisation of heritage laws marked a significant shift, with antiquities evolving from imperial treasures to national heritage assets. Museums emerged as key public institutions for legitimising and showcasing the nation’s history, while archaeology provided the scientific basis for understanding and interpreting the past. These developments were part of China’s broader response to Western imperialism, particularly the looting of cultural artefacts, and demonstrated the country’s determination to assert its sovereignty. By reclaiming its past and integrating it into a modern narrative, China engaged with global heritage discourses as both a protector and interpreter of its own history. This talk illustrates how the heightened awareness, recognition, and dissemination of national heritage to the public were central to China’s integration into the global context.

Please join the meeting via the following Teams link.

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3a7SC3CnZDkgt66uMpKurhRwDUWNnH54STSrpA_f1WrtU1%40thread.tacv2/1729239038524?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2249a50445-bdfa-4b79-ade3-547b4f3986e9%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2270771456-0c50-4804-a6f5-2688fbb57e55%22%7d

This talk is part of the Department of Archaeology - Asian Archaeology Group Seminar Series series.

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• Department of Archaeology - Asian Archaeology Group Seminar Series
• Online

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