8th Academic Symposium on China’s Frontier Archaeology Held

Recently, the 8th Academic Symposium on China’s Frontier Archaeology, co-hosted by the Chinese Archaeological Society, the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of History), the Archaeological Research Center of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences, was held in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and president of the Chinese Academy of History, attended the opening ceremony and delivered an address. Bao Xianhua, director of the Publicity Department of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was also present at the opening ceremony.

During the event, Mei Zhongtang, member of the Executive Council of the Chinese Academy of History, presided over the opening ceremony. Shi Jinsong, director of the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of History), delivered remarks. Keynote presentations were given by Li Guoqiang, member of the Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Wang Jianxin, professor at Northwest University; Li Jinxiu, first-class research fellow at the Institute of Ancient History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Institute of Ancient History, Chinese Academy of History); and Kang Jianguo, director of the Beijiang Culture Research Institute, Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences.

Centered on the theme “The Northern Frontier from an Archaeological Perspective”, the symposium included four sub-forums: Archaeology of the Mongolian Plateau, Archaeology of Northeast China, Archaeology of Qinghai, Tibet and Southwest China, and Archaeology of Xinjiang. Over 80 experts and scholars from research institutes and universities across China participated. They discussed a range of topics including “Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation through Frontier Archaeology”, “Ancient Societies of the Mongolian Plateau from an Archaeological Perspective”, “Agro-pastoral Interactions and the Formation and Development of Unity in Diversity in Chinese Civilization”, “The Grassland Silk Road and Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations”, and “Conservation and Revitalization of Frontier Cultural Heritage”. The symposium showcased new discoveries, archaeological materials and research insights from China’s frontier archaeology studies in recent years.