Revisiting Liang Qichao’s 1900 Visit

Описание: Talks in Chinese Humanities

Revisiting Liang Qichao’s 1900 Visit: A Digital Microhistory of the Chinese Community in Western Australia at the Dawn of Federation

This presentation leverages the innovative capabilities of the Two Centuries of Chinese Heritage in Western Australia digital platform, launched at the University of Western Australia in 2024, to spotlight the significant yet often overlooked visit of Liang Qichao to Western Australia in October 1900. By synthesising historical records with data points from the digital platform, this study examines Liang Qichao’s engagements with Chinese Western Australians across Fremantle, Perth, and Geraldton.

Adopting a microhistorical approach, the presentation reconstructs the intricate economic, social, and intellectual landscape of Chinese residents in Western Australia during a pivotal moment in history—on the cusp of Australia’s Federation and the implementation of the White Australia policy. Liang Qichao’s visit reveals nuanced transcultural exchanges that influenced the evolving trajectories of Australian societies at this critical juncture.

Through the lens of cutting-edge digital humanities tools, this exploration not only revives a meaningful but under-examined chapter in Australian history but also demonstrates the potential of these methodologies to deepen our understanding of Chinese heritage in Western Australia. This study offers fresh insights into historical transcultural dynamics while reflecting on how digital microhistory can continue to enrich our knowledge of the past and inform future scholarship.

About the speaker

Yu Tao is an Associate Professor in Chinese Studies at the University of Western Australia (UWA), where he teaches contemporary China and coordinates the Chinese Studies course, which includes four streams of a major and two minors. Yu Tao was trained in political science and sociology at Peking, Cambridge, and Oxford. His current research, centred on Global China, aims to provide theoretical insights and empirical evidence to address two interconnected questions. First, how are China’s government and governance systems adapting to and reacting within an increasingly globalised world? Second, what are the manifestations, key drivers, and perceptions of globalised Chineseness across diverse fields such as religion, education, migration, and heritage?

"Talks in Chinese Humanities" is co-presented by the China Studies Centre, the Discipline of Chinese Studies and the Australian Society for Asian Humanities at the University of Sydney.

Cover image: Silk cloth with calligraphy by Liang Qichao (© Kira Brown 2023)