Impact of Physical Anthropology on the Construction of the "Two Civilizations"

Abstract

Physical anthropology is the science that studies the physical attributes of human groups and the laws that govern the formation and development of these attributes. By groups of human beings we mean all sorts of commonality-bound groupings of human beings, including all races and nationality groups. Cultural and physical anthropology make up the two major aspects of the field of anthropology. The study of anthropology has by now, in some scientifically and technically advanced countries of the world, a history of almost a hundred years. In our country, too, it began over forty years ago. However, for all sorts of reasons, this science remains today a weak link in the chain of scientific undertakings in our country, and within it the study of physical anthropology is the weakest. And yet we must acknowledge that anthropology, physical anthropology included, can have a profound impact on our country's socialist construction. It is bound to become, in the future, a flourishing science in China in the contem...