CCG Book Release | China Through European Eyes

September 27 , 2023

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[English]

 

[Chinese]

 

On September 27, 2023, the book launch event of China Through European Eyes: 800 Years of Cultural and Intellectual Encounter, jointly organized by the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and China Translation & Publishing Corporation, was held at CCG’s headquarters in Beijing. CCG President Dr Henry Huiyao Wang, President and Chief Editor of China Translation & Publishing House(CTPH) Qiao Weibing, and the author of the book, Professor Kerry Brown, discussed the work and provided their personal insights.

 

Professor Kerry Brown

2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Europe, which makes the publication of China Through European Eyes both fitting and timely. In the book, Professor Kerry Brown has meticulously selected significant writings by European intellectuals on China from the time of Marco Polo to the 1970s with the goal of delving into the history of communication between Europe and China in order to facilitate a better mutual understanding of the past and future and provide a clearer perspective on our current position. It is hoped that this endeavor will serve as a catalyst for leaders to make wiser decisions, promote the stability and long-term development of China-Europe relations, and yield abundant results in terms of cultural exchange.

Dr Henry Huiyao Wang

Dr Henry Huiyao Wang delivered opening remarks in which he recounted his association with Professor Kerry Brown and explained why CCG chose to translate this unique work. He noted that both China and Europe boast rich histories and civilizations, with a long-standing history of cultural exchange, which contains an abundance of lessons for present-day China-Europe interactions.

Dr Henry Huiyao Wang praised Professor Brown for identifying a crucial underlying factor that influences Western policies towards China: a lack of deep understanding. He commended Professor Brown for consolidating the perspectives of influential European intellectuals from different periods in European history, offering a potential remedy for the frequent misunderstandings that Western discourse on China often carries. The fact that so many Western intellectuals in history actively sought to understand, interpret, and engage with China is worthy of admiration and emulation.

Dr Henry Huiyao Wang believes that this book will contribute to bridging the cognitive gap between East and West, further facilitating dialogue and deepening mutual understanding in today’s China-Europe relations.

Dr Weibing Qiao

Dr Weibing Qiao, President and Chief Editor of China Translation & Publishing House, extended his congratulations on the official release of the Chinese version of this book. He highly praised its academic and historical value, commending how it presents a well-founded and insightful understanding of China over the span of 800 years through the perspectives of 16 representative Western figures who served as “witnesses” and “observers”. Dr Qiao emphasized that the book provides a fresh perspective in addressing “civilizational conflicts” and promoting sound China-Europe relations. He hoped that it would guide readers in the current era of rapidly changing international relations and challenges to draw wisdom and lessons from past exchanges, promoting understanding and cooperation.

Professor Kerry Brown is a sinologist, professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London. He has spent 6 years living in China over the past 30 years and has visited China nearly a hundred times, covering almost every province, earning him the title of a true “China expert”. He expressed his gratitude to CCG for introducing and translating the book while also acknowledging CCG’s impressive contributions to China’s engagement with the world. Brown expressed the hope that China Through European Eyes will help Chinese readers understand how Europeans, over the course of history, came to know and understand China, and how China entered the perspective and cultural consciousness of Europeans. He also said he hopes that the book will enhance mutual understanding between East and West, facilitating the continued positive development of China-Europe relations in the future.

The book launch event was attended by multiple media outlets, including People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Review News, China Newsweek, and China Daily, who conducted interviews and provided coverage.

China Through European Eyes: 800 Years of Cultural and Intellectual Encounter
（Chinese Version）

 

 

“China is a hybrid ” – A conversation with Prof. Kerry Brown from King’s College London