With the help of theoretical travel analysis tools, this paper studies the dynamic spatial and temporal course of the spread and diffusion of the principle of provenance from abroad to China. Based on the four phases of theoretical travel, namely the starting point, channel, condition, and transformation, two Chinese travel courses of the principle of provenance are clarified and presented, and the dynamic evolution and transformation process of the principle of provenance's entry, adaptation and even knowledge production innovation is deeply revealed, so as to look at the evolutionary law of the principle of provenance in China, and to reflect on the relationship between the theoretical travel and the autonomy of knowledge production in archival science. The study shows that the theoretical travel of the principle of provenance reflects the contextual and continuous characteristics of archival knowledge production, and that the relationship between the autonomous knowledge production of archival science in China and theoretical travel is both a paradox and an opportunity to promote the benign mutual construction of the universal archival knowledge and the autonomous knowledge of archival science in China, thereby enhancing the degree of universalization of the autonomous knowledge of archival science in China, and transforming our country from the destination to the departure point of archival science theoretical travel.