France, China: The Clash of Two Worlds

Author: Murilhe Detry, Yuan Yu Lei, Zhu Zhiping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: In 1687, a group of Jesuit missionaries sent by King Louis XIV arrived at the imperial palace of the Kangxi Emperor, marking the beginning of exchanges between China and France. This book comprehensively introduces the various twists and turns of interactions between these two major Eastern and Western powers over the past four centuries, including initial dialogues, conflicts during the Boxer Rebellion era, the wave of Chinese students studying in France at the turn of the 20th century, and the new developments in bilateral relations after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The book reveals many little-known historical events and is accompanied by a wealth of precious historical photographs, providing valuable references for the study of modern Sino-French exchanges. It also offers a vivid and highly readable account for history enthusiasts. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, and the timely publication of this book also holds certain political significance. In fact, what I came here for was neither Europe nor China, but a perspective on China. I grasped it. Guillaud's letter to Claude Debussy, January 6, 1911, Beijing, 1687: A group of Jesuit missionaries sent by Louis XIV arrived at the imperial palace of the Kangxi Emperor. The series of exchanges that followed fostered mutual curiosity and brought about rich cultural exchanges. In the 19th century, the imperialist France changed its policy toward China: as the French concessions were established in major Chinese cities, especially Shanghai, brutal acts such as the looting of the Old Summer Palace in 1860 completely destroyed cultural exchanges between the two countries. In China, alongside the reform movements at the turn of the 20th century, France took on the image of the "mother of revolution." The "nation of rights and justice" welcomed workers and students, guiding them in political struggles. This, in turn, influenced French Maoists to participate in the "Cultural Revolution." Today, with China's reform and opening-up, a new form of cooperative, integrated, and complementary relations has emerged between the two countries, highlighting their mutual and enduring attraction. Over 140 images showcase the French as seen by the Chinese and the Chinese as seen by the French. Murilhe Detry studied at the école Normale Supérieure in Paris, obtained a teaching qualification in modern literature, and is a doctor of letters from the Sorbonne University (her dissertation was on Guillaud). She also studied Chinese and Japanese and taught in China and Japan for many years. She is currently a lecturer in general literature and comparative literature at the New Sorbonne University. As an expert in Western and Far Eastern literary relations, her major achievements include publishing Travel in China: A Selection of Western Travelers' Writings from the Middle Ages to the Decline of the Chinese Empire [Robert Laffont Publishing, "Bouquin" series, 1992 edition, co-authored with Ninette Boothroyd] and organizing multiple seminars, the proceedings of which include Literature and the Far East (Honoré Champion, 1999 edition) and France-Asie: Un siècle d'échanges littéraires (You Feng Bookstore, 2001 edition).