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institutions from China, including the Palace Museum, Henan Museum, and Academia
Sinica, the elision of Chinese perspectives and sources is even more unjustified (Figure
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1). Along with the London display, the preliminary exhibition (yu zhan), while
unmentioned in most English-language accounts of the international exhibition, generated
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much attention in the Chinese press and had a daily attendance of nearly 3,000 people.
Both of the largest circulating newspapers in Shanghai, Xinwen bao and Shenbao,
reported each day on the pre-exhibition, noting attendance numbers, visits by famous
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people, and viewers’ opinions. The Shanghai pre-exhibition attracted visitors from
such art societies as the Bai Eͣᕰ Painting Society, Wan Mi Shan Fang ֟Ϸʆג
Painting Society, Xinhua Professional Art Academy อശᖵஔਖ਼߅, and Hangzhou
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National Academy of Art. Shenbao, a newspaper from Shanghai boasting some of the
largest circulation numbers, reported that a number of famous painters, and
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archaeologists came from places outside of Shanghai to view the exhibit. In all,
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attendance for the preliminary showing in Shanghai reached 40,000. The Ministry of
Education and the Chinese Organizing Committee issued catalogues in both English and
Chinese as viewers’ guides: the Chinese-language catalogue cost half a dollar and the
English version sold for one dollar. The Ministry of Education, on the day of the opening
ceremonies for the Shanghai pre-exhibit, even presented the two versions as gifts to the
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special guests in attendance. These guests included officials and luminaries in
government and cultural circles from in and outside China, including Cai Yuanpei, Dai
Jitao, Wang Jingwei, Yu Youren, and the ambassadors from foreign countries stationed
in China. The catalogues included photos of each artwork and a caption that identified its
date of creation, informing viewers how to view, see, and understand the art objects
