Russian émigré youth and the study of Northeast China’s archaeology and ethnography, 1920s–1950s

This article reconstructs the system of engaging young members of the Russian émigré community in China with the scholarly study of the country’s history and culture during the first half of the 20th century, and traces the impact of this experience on their subsequent professional careers. The authors demonstrate that the foundation for this scholarly interest in the host country’s heritage was laid within Russian educational institutions in Northeast China, through the integration of area stu-dies disciplines and Chinese language instruction into their curricula. The study focuses on the role of Harbin’s scholarly and public associations – namely, the Society for the Study of the Manchurian Region, the YMCA Natural Science and Geography Club, and the Przhevalsky Researchers' Orga-nization. Under the guidance of experienced mentors such as I.G. Baranov and V.V. Ponosov, these societies became central hubs for involving youth in field research, archaeological excavations, and ethnographic expeditions. The authors conclude that this activity not only made a substantial contribution to the study of the ancient history and ethnography of Northeast China but also laid a solid foundation for the professional development of an entire cohort of scholars. Many of them, upon repatriation to the USSR in the 1950s, successfully continued their academic careers, thereby contributing to the development of Russian Oriental studies.