‘scientiWc reasoning provides the sole guide to truth in all matters about
which human beings may reliably know anything’ (Furth 1970: 27). Ding
was given responsibility for the Geological Survey of China formed in 1913,
which began as a geological department under the Bureau of Mines of the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry. With Ding, and a team of Chinese and
foreign geologists including the Swedish geologist, Johann Gunnar Andersson
and the French archaeologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a new chapter in the
history of research in palaeontology and prehistoric archaeology would begin
in China, mainly after the First World War (Debaine-Francfort 1999; Fiskesjo ̈
& Chen 2004; Furth 1970). After the war, training in modern archaeological
methods was introduced in China (Chang 1986) 15 and only in the mid 1920s
would the authorities forbid any further uncontrolled archaeological explor-
ations in Chinese territory.
Japanese rapid Westernization would clearly become visible in an analysis
of archaeology beyond the country’s frontiers. The two examples provided
here are located in Nepal and in Korea. They are very diVerent in nature. The
Wrst refers more to an antiquarian pursuit with parallels to that of foreigners
such as Stein and Hedin, but with a religious background similar to that
found in the archaeology of the biblical lands described in Chapter 6. The
second is more related to imperialism. One of the issues that aVected histor-
ical archaeology before the First World War in Japan was the rapid decline of
Buddhism, partly as a result of the many changes to Japanese society brought
about by the Meiji Restoration. This situation was at the heart of some
Buddhist monks’ wish to acquire original Buddhist sutras. Here Kozui
Otani (1876–1948) would be a keyWgure. He was the son of the Abbot of
the West Hongan Monastery or Nishi Honganji Temple, the headquarters
of the Jodo Shinshu (Pure Land sect of Buddhism) in Japan. At the age of
fourteen he had been sent to be educated in London, and there he became
familiar with the European expeditions to Central Asia. He also read about
the discoveries made by Sven Hedin and Aurel Stein, and became a member of
the Royal Geographical Society. He then decided to organize his own exped-
ition accompanied by several Japanese monks from the monastery. Despite
Kozui Otani’s eVorts his adventure could not conclude, for his father’s death
compelled his return to fulWl his role as abbot. His companions, however,
continued the work. Thus Shimaji Daito undertook archaeological research
in Nepal, on the Buddha in Tarai, and Shimizu Mokuji, Honda Eryu, and
Inoue Koen entered Tarai, travelled to Araurakot, Tilaurakot, and Lunmindi
15 From the 1870s foreign specialists were brought to the country and some young men were
sent to be educated to the US, England and France as well as to Japan (Debaine-Francfort 1999:
16), but this did not aVect archaeology.
200 Archaeology of Informal Imperialism