The article examines how archaeology in China has long been dominated by emperical methods and a historiographical orientation, highlighting the limitations of simply gathering facts without moving toward deeper theoretical inquiry. Arising from a tradition that prizes “seeking facts” over “seeking truth”, Chinese archaeology typically verifies textual records and classifies material remains but hesitates to adopt rationalist frameworks that would illuminate underlying laws or causal relationships. In contrast to Western approaches, where deduction, middle-range theory, and processual models invite broader questions of cultural change. Chinese archaeology remains cautious about abstract reasoning, partly due to inherited intellectual tradition and the lingering legacy of serving as a mere ancillary to history. By underscoring the inevitable influence of researchers’ assumptions and learned concepts on the interpretation of archaeological data, the author argues that Chinese archaeology needs to transcend its narrow fact-based practice. Rather than dismissing Western theory as inapplicable, it should draw upon scientific rationalism to fomulate and test hypotheses, thereby producing more universal insights that resonate beyond local settings. Cultivating a new generation of creatively minded archaeologists who can combine rigorous empirical work with reflective, problem-oriented research emerges as the key to deepening China’s contribution on the global stage of archaeological thought.