Introduction to the Study of Ancient Chinese History in the West

Author: Hu Zhihong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: Overseas Sinology Studies Series. From legends, Europeans learned of a distant land in the East called China, a land with a long history and unique charm. Intrigued by the rich cultural heritage of humanity's childhood, Europeans were deeply captivated, unintentionally fostering a trend of admiration for the ancient Chinese civilization. Thus, Sinology emerged in Europe and continued to flourish. From the early days of Sinological studies, nurtured by the religious spirit of Jesuits, to the establishment of academic Sinology in the 19th century, from the emergence of a group of influential Sinologists around the turn of the 20th century who continue to impact scholars today, to the post-WWII rise of American Sinology and the introspection and renaissance of European Sinology driven by advanced historiography, Western Sinology has left a long and vibrant developmental trajectory. This trajectory is also the path of the development of Western ancient history studies. It is along this trajectory that the distance between China and the West has been bridged.