Geography, geology and China’s early mastery of essential energy sources and of access to minerals

At first sight, China’s geography and above all geology appear to limit access to many resources both within China and from its neighbours. 

Close contact westwards by land was restricted by the Tibetan Plateau. Great deposits of loess across much of northern China and the whole region of the Yellow River impeded access to copper ore and indeed to gold in the mountains below the loess. 

This talk will describe China’ unique geographical position in Eurasia and the impact of the loess and the climate in stimulating China’s unusual methods to acquire and develop metallurgy, make use of herded animals and manage horses. These aspects of China’ independence in building its society and culture have rarely been recognised, nor their complexity and the necessary skills acknowledged. 

References to a Silk Road usually fail to consider the challenges of the landfall. China had and has several major assets: first of all, a climate with hot humid summers that fostered rice cultivation, one of the most nutritious grains to support an expending population; we can see from the earliest archaeological sites that this population was both large and well organised. 

The benefits of the large population in manufacture and infrastructure and its special geo-political position in Eurasia are still relevant today.

About the speaker

Jessica Rawson, Professor of Chinese Art and Archaeology and former Warden of Merton College, Oxford (1994-2010), was made Honorary Professor in the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University in 2019. For over 20 years before moving to Oxford, she worked in the Department of Oriental Antiquities (now the Asia Department) at the British Museum, as Keeper from 1987 to 1994. In 2005-06, she led the group of curators of the China: The Three Emperors, 1662-1795 exhibition at the Royal Academy, bringing to London magnificent works of art from the Palace Museum in Beijing. 

For more than 40 years, she has visited, researched and lectured in most of China's provinces, including at archaeological sites on both sides of its borders with Mongolia and South Siberia. She was awarded the title of Dame in 2002 and received the Tang Prize in Sinology for 'Giving Voice to Mute Objects' in 2022.

Chair: Professor Steve Tsang, Director, SOAS China Institute

Registration

This event is open to the public and free to attend, however registration is required. 

Please note that this seminar is taking place on campus and will not be recorded or live-streamed.

Organiser

• SOAS China Institute

Contact

• Email: sci@soas.ac.uk