"Pass the torch to such a person"

Author: Chen Xingcan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: Li Ji, Ling Chunsheng, Gao Quxun, Xia Nai, and Zhang Guangzhi are representative figures in Chinese archaeology and anthropology, renowned in the international academic community. This book includes nearly 200 letters exchanged between the first four and Zhang Guangzhi. The correspondence spans from the 1950s to the 1980s, a period when Chinese archaeology achieved remarkable accomplishments. The content of the letters covers many little-known historical events in the academic field, serving as a vivid portrayal of this significant era. The correspondence authentically reflects the thoughts, emotions, research orientations, and living conditions of the first and second generations of archaeologists and anthropologists on the mainland and overseas. Meanwhile, Zhang Guangzhi's journey from studying abroad in the United States to becoming an outstanding Chinese scholar active on the global academic stage can also be traced through these exchanges with his mentors. Xia Nai and Zhang Guangzhi began corresponding in the late Cultural Revolution era, and their relationship evolved from unfamiliarity and estrangement to familiarity and friendship. This process also mirrors the gradual integration of Chinese archaeology into the world and the deepening global understanding of Chinese civilization. The collection of letters serves as a witness to this ongoing historical narrative.