“Origins and Expansion: the Austronesians and Maritime Civilizations” Unveiled in Chongqing

On November 27, the exhibition "Origins and Expansion: the Austronesians and Maritime Civilisations" was unveiled at the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, serving as a supplementary activity of the 2^nd General Assembly of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia. Centring on prehistoric archaeological findings from China's southeastern coastal regions, the exhibition traced the origins, expansion, and profound connections of Austronesians with Chinese maritime civilisation. Featuring 213 sets of precious cultural relics and specimens from multiple museums and cultural institutions, the exhibition vividly unfolded the epic history of Austronesian ancestors who relied on the ocean for exploration and migration through images, documents, and multimedia.

The Austronesians are the most widely distributed maritime ethnic group in the world today, and their origins and expansion have long been a focus of international academic research. In recent years, a broad consensus in the international academic community has emerged that the Austronesian peoples originated in China's southeastern coastal regions, particularly Fujian and its adjacent areas, through multidisciplinary research including archaeology, ethnology, genetics, and linguistics. This exhibition systematically presents this significant academic achievement, revealing how the roots of Austronesian culture are deeply embedded in the fertile soil of Chinese civilization， through archaeological artifacts, genetic evidence, and multidisciplinary research findings, It stands as a vital testament to the pluralistic and integrated structure of the Chinese nation and the history of maritime exploration, exerting a profound influence on the evolution and development of world civilizations. At the time of the establishment of the Austronesian Special Committee under the Asian Alliance for Cultural Heritage Conservation, this exhibition will further enhance understanding of the diffusion process of prehistoric populations from China's southeastern coastal regions to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

The exhibition is jointly organised by the Fujian Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration and the Chongqing Municipal Cultural Heritage Administration, hosted by the Fujian Museum and the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum. The exhibition will be on display until January 11, 2026.