The Enlightenment European Perception of China: Sinophilia, Sinophobia, and Modernity

Date
2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Producer
Director
Performer
Choreographer
Costume Designer
Music
Videographer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Crew Member
Funder
Rehearsal Director
Concert Coordinator
Advisor
Moderator
Panelist
Alternative Title
Department
Haverford College. Department of History
Type
Thesis
Original Format
Running Time
File Format
Place of Publication
Date Span
Copyright Date
Award
Language
eng
Note
Table of Contents
Terms of Use
Rights Holder
Access Restrictions
Open Access
Tripod URL
Identifier
Abstract
This thesis examines the shift in Western Europe's attitude towards China during the Enlightenment. In 1700, Europeans on the whole had a positive view of China. They appreciated what they perceived to be China's strengths, and identified those fortes as having the utmost importance to societies in general. Foremost among these was what Western Europeans saw as China's adherence to the "natural law" or "natural order". Likewise, while Westerners perceived problems with China, they placed little weight on China's alleged flaws, which were either dismissed as minor in the face of all of China's achievements or else cast as flukes that would soon be remedied. However, by 1800 European attitudes had undergone a near-complete reversal. China was generally portrayed as a backward, stagnant nation. By the close of the eighteenth century, China was placed within a fully articulated Eurocentric worldview. This paper attempts to elucidate the motives and means behind this reversal of views by closely examining selected travel texts on China and certain works informed by them.
Description
Citation
Collections