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a b HOW ORDINARY FRAGMENTS PIECE TOGETHER c d A PICTURE OF THE PAST Weaving diverse socio-cultural studies, XMU’s humanities and social a. Shipwreck archaeology at Quanzhou Beach, 1973 science researchers have brought new b. Underwater archaeological studies reveal new insights into maritime cultural history. perspectives from land and sea. A series of pioneering studies by Chuanchao Wang c. Michael A. Szonyi (central left) and Zhenman Zheng (central right) established a studio for yields genetic information on Asian populations. archiving local documents in the Yongtai County of Fuzhou, the provincial capital of Fujian province. d. Rong Hu (right), the dean of SSA, leads field research into Fujian villages.

he rich historic, cul- Carrying on this tradition, XMU. Since 2009, in collabo- Recently, a study camp dedicated to this subject among architectural history and port Pioneering work using petitions are associated with tural, and geographical Fu’s student, Zhenman Zheng, ration with the Fairbank Center programme was established Chinese universities. It has led city evolution. ancient DNA to trace East Asian the loss of political trust, diversity of southeast an XMU professor of history, for Chinese Studies at Harvard with Harvard University to train multiple national-level social population history over the last highlighting the importance of China offers great is keen to unravel clues from University, Zheng’s team has young scholars to interpret local science projects, including Advancing social and 8,000 years, the study offered institutional reform to improve Topportunities for humanities local historical documents, built databases, including on documents. exploration of the association anthropological studies insights on origins, ancestry the system that safeguards the and social science researchers, from genealogy records and deeds and historical geographic between Chinese ceramics and For anthropologists at XMU’s lines, migration routes, and lin- interest of farmers. fostering the growth of aca- commericial contracts to local information systems, facilitating Bringing submerged stories maritime civilization, and exca- School of Sociology and guistic affinities, from Yamnaya Interested in the influence of demic programmes at XMU. drama scripts. “They reflect multidisciplinary studies on to the surface vating and studying shipwrecks Anthropology (SSA), genomic culture across Russia to Jōmon social capital and other factors With renowned strength in the everyday reality of life,” Chinese local history. Located in southeast China’s in China’s seas. Archaeological tools can be integrated with people of Japan. “It’s a result of on farmers’ political partici- historical research, archaeology, says Zheng. “This provides an A wealth of data is collected port city of Xiamen, XMU has exploration in Southeast Asia archaeology to explore pop- cross-disciplinary collaboration, pation and trust, Hu has also and anthropology, generations of alternative perspective from the from fieldwork, which Zheng developed a traditional strength and the Asia-Pacific region ulation history. A team led by and marks a step forward for investigated village committee XMU scholars have developed official history, and helps reveal says is not only the source of in maritime archaeology. has investigated aboriginal Chuanchao Wang, director of the study of ancient genomics in elections, which serve as chan- new methodologies and theoret- the mechanisms for Chinese materials, but also of new ideas. Studies on maritime cultural culture and seafaring history. SSA’s Institute of Anthropology, China,” says Wang. nels for villagers to articulate ical frameworks, and unravelled socio-historical development.” “Fieldwork for humanity scholars history have been emphasized The studies have deepened is dedicated to unravelling SSA researchers are also in- their interests. Many of his valuable resources, contributing Zheng led a key project on is like a laboratory,” says Zheng. since the 1930s. From research understanding of the heritage of genetic information on East terested in exploring contempo- studies have policy implications, to regional cultural heritage. local historical documents and “We test our ideas in fieldwork, into maritime transport history the Maritime Silk Road. Asian populations, which is rary societies. Transformations enabling actionable strategies cultural inheritance in 2004, as being on site helps interpret of the South China Sea islands Fieldwork by XMU archae- poorly understood due to the in rural China, brought by rapid for local government bodies. Breaking new ground in in which he surveyed folk historical events.” Since 1996, in the 1950s, to excavation ologists led to the discovery of lack of DNA data. industrialization and economic Studies by Hu’s SSA historical research documents for their preservation XMU history department has of shipwrecks from the Song relics in a 3,000-year-old settle- In a study recently published reform, have attracted Rong colleagues on Southeast Asian XMU is renowned for its status, along with their contex- organized student field trips to dynasty and exploration of ment on Pingtan Island in Fujian. in a preprint paper, Wang and a Hu, the dean of SSA, who is ethnic groups and aboriginal emphasis on local historical tual history. He established a villages and towns in Fujian and historical exports of Chinese It reveals insights on southeast large group of international col- renowned for his study on village minority groups of Taiwan documents for studying Chinese framework and methodology to Jiangxi provinces to collect rich ceramics in the 1970s, China’s maritime culture, along leagues analysed genome-wide governance. have also informed relevant history. The tradition started in study local documents system- first-hand materials. the maritime archaeology with the origin and historical data from 191 individuals Following the fieldwork policy-making, in addition to 1940s when the late historian atically. His research has led to The value of local documents programme has flourished development of Austronesian of different East Asian tradition of XMU’s sociological improving understanding about and XMU professor, Yilin Fu, many books, and a dedicated and fieldwork has also attracted at XMU. As advanced languages in the region. populations dating to 6000 BCE and anthropological studies, Hu sociocultural history of those discovered some deeds from a centre was established to organ- international scholars interested technologies for underwater The site was set up as a – 1000 CE. This is the largest has led his students to villages populations. local villager’s home. Fu found ize research and train students in Chinese history. International archaeology emerged in the training ground for undergrad- ancient genome study for East in Fujiang and beyond to collect Ongoing studies by SSA these rich sources for studying in this field. conferences, scholar exchanges, 1990s, relevant courses were uates to hone fieldwork skills. Asia to date. They also reported raw materials. In one study, they researchers have presented socio-economic history of the The growing archives and and joint research projects have set up, attracting master’s and XMU researchers have also microarray typing data of 383 used large-scale survey data to new sociological approaches Ming and Qing dynasties, and materials demand new technolo- been organized to explore this doctoral students. uncovered relics of ancient samples from 46 present-day investigate farmers’ appeals to tailored to explore contemporary launched a new field for Chinese gies and strategies for classifica- field, while Zheng has conducted In 2004, XMU established city walls in Ningbo, more ethnic groups, along with data authorities, and what these say Chinese society, while providing socio-economic history, based tion and conservation, leading to fieldwork and co-authored with the Center for Maritime than 800 km north of Xiamen, obtained using carbon-14 dating about their trust in governments. new ideas for international on fieldwork evidence. the rise of digital humanities at international collaborators. Archaeology, the only one informing understanding of local techniques. The study showed that academic exchanges.

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