In the West, Sinology represents the scholarly pursuit of generations of dedicated minds sincerely exploring Chinese civilization.
Do you know what Sinology is?
In the West, Sinology represents the scholarly pursuit of generations of dedicated minds sincerely exploring Chinese civilization—covering history, language, philosophy, literature, art, religion, archaeology, as well as its social, economic, legal, and scientific fields outside of China.
So, how has Sinology developed over time?
In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire’s western campaigns triggered massive population movements and unprecedented East-West cultural exchanges.
By the late 15th century, the Age of Discovery ushered in a new era of civilizational exchange.
Late Ming Dynasty: Missionaries like Matteo Ricci brought long-term, systematic study of China.
In 1814: Abel-Rémusat became the first professor of “Chinese, Tartar, and Manchu Literature” at the Collège de France, formally establishing Sinology in Western academia.
Since the 20th century, traditional Sinology, focused mainly on classical texts, has gradually evolved into China studies, expanding to social sciences, regional studies, and interdisciplinary approaches, reflecting new foreign interest in China.
Now, do you understand what Sinology is?
