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Exhibiting the Modern

The Creation of the First Chinese Museum, 1905–1930

Bibliographic Data

ID19169489
AuthorsQin Shao (0000-0001-9478-3816, corresponding author)
Year2004
Volume179
Pages684-702
Publication date2004-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe China Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0009-4439 • E-ISSN: 1468-2648
PublisherCambridge University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1017/s0305741004000542
OpenAlexW2113727379
LanguageEN
Citations received8

This study examines the birth and use of the first Chinese-sponsored museum, in Nantong county, Jiangsu province, in the context of local elites' effort to make the county an example of modern progress. It reflects on the changing notion of progress among Chinese elites since the self-strengthening movement of the 1860s, and also illustrates an often neglected dimension of modernity – exhibitory modernity, or presentation. The Nantong elites proved to be masters at manipulating exhibitory modernity to reconstruct their community. Understanding exhibitory modernity in the early 20th century sheds light on China's current modernization effort. One of the distinct marks of the new era has been the tremendous energy and resources invested in exhibitory institutions and activities, as demonstrated in the national zeal for China to host the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 World Expo. These sorts of activities are in part aimed at showing the rising status of China. By bringing the world – globally recognized symbols for power, strength, respect, modernity and cosmopolitanism such as the World Expo – to China, it wishes to remake its national image as part of that advanced world on the one hand, and boost nationalism at home on the other. This and the Nantong experience illustrate both the artificiality of national and community identity and the enduring force of modernity

Aesthetics · Art · Artificiality · China · Context (archaeology) · Modernity · Modernization theory · National identity · Nationalism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Power (physics) · Sociology · Chinese history and philosophy · History · Japanese History and Culture · Law · Museums and Cultural Heritage · Philosophy

  • Propelling Country Image Research Forward

    Open Access•Chuanlin Ning•SAGE Open•2025

  • “Museum Fever”

    Open Access•Kai Yin, William Nitzky•Curator The Museum Journal•2026

  • Cross-cultural collaboration and cultural production within China’s public museums

    Open Access•Carol Chung, Andrew Manley et al.•International Journal of Cultural…•2022

  • Diaspora Museum

    Cangbai Wang•Journal of Chinese Overseas•2022

  • An Overview of School Education Programmes in Chinese Museums

    Susan F Abasa, Susan Abasa et al.•Museum Management and Curatorship•2007

  • Managerial Transformation in Chinese Museums

    Luca Zan•Museum Management and Curatorship•2007

  • Besieged tradition

    Open Access•Yining Fu•International Journal of Heritage…•2025

  • L'empire de l'éternel présent. Dans les musées de la République populaire de Chine1

    Françoise Lauwaert•Gradhiva•2012

Unique citing works8
Citations per year0.42
Citation span2007 - 2026 (20)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 8

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