Sinophile

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a 17th-18th century German polymath who made significant contributions in many areas of physics, logic, history, librarianship, and studied numerous aspects of Chinese culture

A Sinophile (from sino- meaning Chinese [originating from the Greek Σίναι and Latin Sinæ] and -phile meaning loving [from ancient Greek ϕίλος])^[1] is a person who demonstrates a strong interest in aspects of Chinese culture or its people^[2]. It is also commonly used to describe those knowledgeable of Chinese history and culture (such as scholars and students), non-native Chinese language speakers, pro-Chinese politicians, and people perceived as having a strong interest in any of the above.

Typical interests of Sinophiles

• Chinese cuisine
• Chinese languages (typically Mandarin or Cantonese)
• Martial arts, such as variants of Kung fu
• Chinese calligraphy and art
• Chinese astrology or horoscopes
• Ancient art of feng shui - Daoism
• Chan Buddhism
• Chinese philosophy - Confucianism
• Traditional cultural Chinese clothing Hanfu and modern Chinese clothing Qipao
• Chinese tea culture
• Chinese wine culture and baijiu

Notable Sinophiles

 Italy

• Marco Polo (馬可·波羅), Venetian trader and explorer, notable to visit Yuan Dynasty China and becoming a court official
• Matteo Ricci (利瑪竇 or 利玛窦), Jesuit priest who translated several western works to Chinese

 Germany

• Gottfried Leibniz, German polymath who was fascinated with Confucius and I Ching ^[3]
• John Rabe, German Nazi party member who helped to save Chinese civilians during the Second Sino-Japanese war.
• Max Bauer, a military adviser and commander within Chiang Kai-Shek's Kuomintang administration. He is buried in China.
• Alexander von Falkenhausen, another military adviser and personal friend to Chiang Kai-Shek. The two would exchange cultural items.
• Martin Heidegger, attempted to translate the Dao De Jing with Paul Hsiao, may have been more deeply influenced by Daoist thought

 United States

• Pearl S. Buck ( 賽珍珠 or 赛珍珠), who wrote many novels about China
• Anson Burlingame, ex-U.S. Congressman, who was appointed in 1861 to be the United States minister in China
• Jerome A. Cohen, a professor of law at New York University School of Law, expert in Chinese law and advisor to Republic of China President Ma Ying-jiu.
• Homer Lea, was military advisory and general in the army of Sun Yat-sen during Boxer Rebellion
• Cordwainer Smith, Godson of Sun Yat-sen
• Wallace Stevens, one of the most influential poets of the 20th century

 Canada

• Morris Cohen - was a Jewish-Canadian soldier and adventurer who became aide-de-camp to the Chinese leader Sun Yat-sen

• Mark Roswell (大山) - Ottawa native currently a CCTV personality and celebrity in China

• Dr. Norman Bethune - A famous medic

• Alexander Golikov - Notable proctologist

 Australia

• Kevin Rudd, diplomat, Sinologist and former Prime Minister of Australia

 United Kingdom

• Aurora Carlson
• Daniel Newham
• Ally Neave
• Joseph Needham (李約瑟), a British biochemist best known for his works on the history of Chinese science^[4]
• Derek Bryan
• Reginald Johnston
• Herbert Giles
• David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn (魏德巍 /衛奕信), British diplomat and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Robert Morrison ( 馬禮遜 or 马礼逊), Scottish missionary
• Sir Cecil Clementi (金文泰), British colonial administrator and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Sir John Francis Davis (戴維斯 or 爹核士), Sinologist, diplomat and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Sir Edward Youde (尤德), diplomat, Sinologist and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Sir David Akers-Jones (鍾逸傑爵士), former administrator of Hong Kong and advisor to the Chinese government

See also

• Anglophilia
• Asian fetish
• Japanophile
• Orientalism
• Sinophobia
• Korean wave

References

1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary
2. ^ The Free Dictionary.com
3. ^ http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/leibnitz.htm
4. ^ Winchester, Simon. (2008). The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom.. New York: HarperCollins. 13-ISBN 978-0-06-088459-8