Fine Arts and Archaeology Up and Down

Author: Yan Juanying, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-04-01
Features: This series is a compilation of classic works by Taiwanese scholars in the field of Chinese history over the past fifty years, divided into thirteen topics and fourteen volumes, respectively:
; Methods of Historiography and Historical Interpretation;
; Institutions and the State;
; Politics and Power;
; Thought and Scholarship;
; Social Change;
; Economic Fluctuations;
; Cities and Villages;
; Families and Society;
; Women and Society;
; Life and Culture;
; Rituals and Religion;
; Life and Medicine;
; Art and Archaeology.
Professor Huang Kuan-chong, Professor Xing Yitian, and Professor Deng Xiaonan of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, served as the chief editors. Each topic is edited by Taiwanese scholars with deep expertise in the field. Each volume begins with a preface by the chief editor and an introduction by the sub-volume editor. The purpose of the introductions is to provide an overview of the internal and external contexts and the development of Chinese history studies in Taiwan at different stages, as well as to introduce the authors and papers in the current volume. Some introductions focus on introducing the included papers and authors or the reasons for their selection, while others highlight global trends in historical studies, and some center on the sub-volume editor’s perspectives on a particular field, each with its own unique features. After each article, a brief author bio and the original publication data of the paper are provided to facilitate further research for interested readers.
The series compiles renowned works by many international scholars. Elderly scholars such as Yan Gengwang, Lao Gan, Fu Lecheng, and Dai Yanhui, contemporary historiographical luminaries like Yu Yingshi, Xu Zhuoyun, Lu Yao dong, and Mao Han Guang, as well as mid-career scholars with strong Western academic backgrounds such as Chen Ruoshui, Yan Juanying, and Li Zhende, are all included. It gathers the representative works of several generations of Taiwanese scholars over the past half-century, truly a gathering of renowned experts and outstanding works. The general selection principle for the articles in this series is to prioritize recently published works to showcase the latest trends and achievements. However, each volume has its own distinct characteristics. Some volumes, such as Life and Culture, include nearly all papers from the past decade, while others, like Institutions and the State, feature more works from several decades ago. This reflects the shift in research directions and centers of focus in Chinese history studies in Taiwan. Due to various limitations, exchanges between scholars across the Taiwan Strait, access to information, and the availability of relevant papers have faced certain difficulties. Domestic scholars and researchers have long called for timely access to the research of Taiwanese scholars, which has been the primary motivation for the publication of this series.
There are significant differences between Taiwan and mainland China in the study of Chinese history. Taiwanese scholars, deeply influenced by Western Sinology while being highly familiar with Chinese culture, bring more innovation and vitality to their research. In terms of research topics, in addition to traditional subjects, Taiwanese historians have established unique themes, such as medical history and body history, which have attracted international attention. The publication of the Collected Works of Taiwanese Scholars on Chinese History should provide domestic historians with new materials, information, and points of focus, fostering very positive impacts on academic exchanges and interactions between the two sides.
This volume includes fourteen essays, representing some of the achievements of Taiwanese art historians across different generations. Over the past four decades, the study of Chinese art history in Taiwan has been closely linked with the Palace Museum and relevant academic circles in the United States. Since the early 20th century, the opening of the former Qing imperial collection at the Palace Museum in 1925 provided a crucial resource of ancient art and cultural heritage for the public. However, from an academic history perspective, the study of Chinese art history has received far less attention than archaeology, which focuses on uncovering underground cultural assets.