Thoughts on Four Subversive Words

Bibliographic Data

ID2174649
AuthorsWang Gungwu (East Asia Institute, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume13
Issue2
Pages199-210
Publication date2012-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCanberra Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0314-9099 • E-ISSN: 1740-9314
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14442213.2012.657151
OpenAlexW2066763434
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited8

The words empire, civilization, anthropology and China are rarely seen together. In addition, all four words are actually foreign to the Chinese language. However, when they are juxtaposed, they point to exceptional Chinese experiences with the research field and suggest that these can lead to a new understanding of what anthropology can do to illuminate ancient and modern relationships. In particular, areas between the emperor-state that shaped a civilization and the multifarious lives of communities scattered within and on the outskirts of China challenge Chinese scholars to re-examine the reach of a discipline that has long been suspect in the eyes of the authorities

Aesthetics · Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · China · Civilization · Emperor · Empire · Epistemology · Field (mathematics · Literature · Point (geometry · Sociology · State (computer science · Suspect · Anthropology · Chinese history and philosophy · History · Philosophy