Scientific Archaeology, Public Sentiment, and Nationalism: Xu Xusheng and Early Public Archaeology in China

This paper presents the first systematic review and analysis of public archaeology in China during the first half of the twentieth century, focusing on the reflections and practices of archaeologist Xu Xusheng. By examining the origins of Xu’s public archaeology philosophy, this study reveals that early Chinese public archaeology involved a ‘philosophical critique of scientism’. It explores Xu’s attempts to reconcile the tension between ‘scientific rigour’ and ‘public sentiments’ during the excavations through a nationalist framework. Comparing Xu’s public archaeology efforts at the National Academy of Peiping with those of Fu Ssu-nien and Li Chi at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, this research identifies two distinct approaches in early Chinese public archaeology. The study contributes to understanding the developmental trajectory and characteristics of China’s public archaeology in its formative period, while also examining its continuity before and after 1949.