Nationalism and internationalism on the borders: The West China Union University Museum of Art, Archaeology and Ethnology (1914–51)

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines the role played by the missionary West China Union University Museum of Art, Archaeology and Ethnology in shaping notions of nationalism and internationalism in China's southwest. Located in Chengdu, a place of multiethnic and global encounters on China's borderlands, this paper argues that the West China Museum was at the forefront of global efforts surrounding the development of museums which sought to advance scholarly research and education for citizens of both China and the world. Although nationalism and internationalism converged in the museum's displays and exhibitions, such a process was not without tensions. As Christianity faced the challenge of rising Chinese nationalism during this period, the missionary museum and its curators played a pivotal role in mediating the demands of both sides by engaging with local communities and the extensive use of their transnational networks.