‘To Contemplate the Soul of the Oldest Civilization in the World’: Britain and the Chinese Art Exhibition of 1935–36

Abstract

In November 1935 a celebrated exhibition of Chinese art opened at the Royal Academy in London just as Japan sought to inspire an autonomy movement in north China. This article assesses the degree to which the British public’s exposure to the treasures of Chinese civilization influenced its attitude towards the political rivalry developing in East Asia. It argues that the exhibition had a notable impact. Specifically, it shows how memory of the exhibition contributed to the pro-Chinese stance that the British public took following the outbreak of the second Sino-Japanese War in July 1937 and notes the way in which China’s civilizational achievements were invoked as a reason for sympathy towards its cause.