China in European Encyclopaedias, 1700-1850

In the eighteenth century, publications written by Jesuit missionaries enlarged European knowledge about China tremendously. In general, a positive attitude towards China predominated in these works. However, after the suppression of the Society of Jesus and due to rivalling economic interests in East Asia, the European attitude towards China changed to the worse throughout the nineteenth century. All these changes can be found in European encyclopaedias published during the 18th and in the early nineteenth century. The project focuses on an analysis of depictions/descriptions of China in encyclopaedias published in German, English, and French in the period from 1700 to 1850: From the early eighteenth century onwards, encyclopaedias no longer were published in Latin but in various national languages. In mid-nineteenth century, China became accessible for foreigners. Encyclopaedias are a medium aiming at constituting reliable knowledge and its dissemination. Using this medium as a starting point, the project takes close look on dissemination and reception of early European books on Asia in general and on those with special reference to China to show continuities and breaks in European efforts to deal with China. Part of the project is a close look on peer-groups, individuals, and institutions actively participating in building up European knowledge on China. The project addresses the focuses chosen by the respective compliers and editors in organizing entries on China. Following an analysis of the sources (bibliography references are only occasionally included), we will ask, if and in how far editors and compilers followed their predecessors in organizing/presenting material on China. By a comparative analysis of French, English, and German encyclopaedias, trans-national transfer of knowledge can be made visible and made subject to further analysis. The project wants to make visible the strands of discourse in European perceptions of China: in a period before the emerging academic discipline of sinology withdrew "knowledge on China" from general knowledge.

In the eighteenth century, publications written by Jesuit missionaries enlarged European knowledge about China tremendously. In general, a positive attitude towards China predominated in these works. However, after the suppression of the Society of Jesus and due to rivalling economic interests in East Asia, the European attitude towards China changed to the worse throughout the nineteenth century. All these changes can be found in European encyclopaedias published during the 18th and in the early nineteenth century. The project focuses on an analysis of depictions/descriptions of China in encyclopaedias published in German, English, and French in the period from 1700 to 1850: From the early eighteenth century onwards, encyclopaedias no longer were published in Latin but in various national languages. In mid-nineteenth century, China became accessible for foreigners. Encyclopaedias are a medium aiming at constituting reliable knowledge and its dissemination. Using this medium as a starting point, the project takes close look on dissemination and reception of early European books on Asia in general and on those with special reference to China to show continuities and breaks in European efforts to deal with China. Part of the project is a close look on peer-groups, individuals, and institutions actively participating in building up European knowledge on China. The project addresses the focuses chosen by the respective compliers and editors in organizing entries on China. Following an analysis of the sources (bibliography references are only occasionally included), we will ask, if and in how far editors and compilers followed their predecessors in organizing/presenting material on China. By a comparative analysis of French, English, and German encyclopaedias, trans-national transfer of knowledge can be made visible and made subject to further analysis. The project wants to make visible the strands of discourse in European perceptions of China: in a period before the emerging academic discipline of sinology withdrew "knowledge on China" from general knowledge.