Twelfth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

This research examines the emergence of large quantities of “overseas Chinese museums” (huaqiao bowuguan) since the 1990s in the Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Fujian, where the majority of overseas Chinese immigrants are from. The exhibitions and collections of these museums are mainly concerned with the immigrants’ historical origins, life experience, cultural heritage, and connections with their hometowns, representing a macro perspective on the national history and a micro perspective on the regional history. The author explores questions such as: How were overseas Chinese museums produced in China? What was the context of their emergence? How did Chinese immigrant groups shape their identities? In the face of China’s rise, is there an internal museum movement that is taking shape? The appearance of overseas Chinese as a subject matter in museums indicates a shift in people’s perspective - the identity of overseas Chinese transforming from “our group” to “the others.”