Building on the success of last year's collaboration with the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), the Tang Prize Foundation once again presented a captivating Tang Prize Lecture at the 2024 AAS-in-Asia conference. The conference was held at Gedung Pusat Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from July 9th to 11th. On the final day of the conference, the 2022 Tang Prize Laureate in Sinology, Professor Dame Jessica Rawson, delivered her insightful presentation titled "China's Great Tombs and the Treasures They Have Revealed." Her presentation was attended by a global audience both in person and online, providing a unique opportunity to learn from a leading expert in Chinese art and archaeology.
The AAS-in-Asia Conference 2024, an annual international gathering of over 1,500 scholars, students, artists, and professionals from 43 countries, featured a Tang Prize Lecture. Moderated by Professor Emeritus Stephen MacKinnon of Arizona State University, the lecture delved into ancient Chinese burial traditions and rare artifacts, shedding light on beliefs about the afterlife and the importance of cultural and historical context. Through a rich collection of photographs, Professor Rawson explored ancient Chinese tombs' engineering and architectural marvels, revealing how artifacts found within these tombs can deepen our understanding of ancient Chinese societies. She also presented her latest book, Life and Afterlife in Ancient China, which further examines the concepts of life and death in China.
Dr. Jenn-Chuan Chern, CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation, highlighted the significance of collaborating with the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), the world's largest and oldest organization dedicated to Asian Studies, with an 83-year legacy based in Michigan, USA. "The Tang Prize in Sinology is the world's most prestigious prize in its field," Dr. Chern stated. "We are immensely grateful to Professor Rawson, the 2022 Tang Prize Laureate, for traveling from the United Kingdom to Indonesia to engage with thousands of scholars from around the world. This interaction fosters a deeper understanding of sinology and fulfills our mission of making this field more accessible to the public."
In her lecture, Professor Rawson explored the burial traditions in the Central Plains from the Neolithic period (c. 3,000 BC) to the third century B.C., culminating in the awe-inspiring Mausoleum of the First Emperor. Buried more than 30 meters deep, this engineering marvel houses the world-famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses. She then plunged into the opulent tombs of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.), adorned with jade garments for the elite and exquisite silver and glassware imported from West Asia. We also see the inheritance of this Central Plains tradition by the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties in the vast underground tombs excavated on the outskirts of Beijing. These tombs yield exquisite bronzes, ceramics, and jades displayed in renowned museums worldwide. They also reveal the elaborate provisions made for the afterlife of emperors and generals, demonstrating the reverence for ancestors' continued influence and offering a glimpse into the realities of ancient Chinese life. Professor Rawson's lecture underscored the importance of recognizing China's remarkable burial traditions when considering the legacies of ancient civilizations.
The 2022 Tang Prize in Sinology was awarded to Professor Jessica Rawson for her gift and mastery of the craft of the visible to read the art and artifacts of Chinese civilization. By giving voice to the ancient world of objects, she has taught generations how to see when they look at things, and her acuity and vast visual learning have given new insight into the world of the lineages, transformations, and migrations of mute things.
While previous Tang Prize laureates in Sinology focused on literature, history, and intellectual history, emphasizing written sources, Professor Rawson's expertise in early Chinese history and material culture, particularly her focus on archaeologically excavated artifacts, offers a unique perspective. This approach illuminates the history and culture embedded in tangible objects, allowing a deeper understanding of the stories these artifacts carry. By bridging the gap between material culture and textual sources, Professor Rawson enriches the field of sinology and showcases the open-minded and expansive vision of the Tang Prize in Sinology as a global award.
About the Tang Prize
Since the advent of globalization, mankind has been able to enjoy the convenience brought forth by the advancement of human civilization and science. Yet a multitude of challenges, such as climate change, the emergence of new infectious diseases, wealth gap, and moral degradation, have surfaced along the way. Against this backdrop, Dr. Samuel Yin established the Tang Prize in December 2012. It consists of four award categories, namely Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and Rule of Law. Every other year, four independent and professional selection committees, comprising many internationally renowned experts, scholars, and Nobel winners, choose as Tang Prize laureates people who have influenced and made substantive contributions to the world, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or gender. A cash prize of NT$50 million (approx. US$1.7 million) is allocated to each category, with NT$10 million (approx. US$ 0.35 million) of it being a research grant intended to encourage professionals in every field to examine mankind’s most urgent needs in the 21st century, and become leading forces in the development of human society through their outstanding research outcomes and active civic engagement.
