China of marvels: reality of a legend
Perceptions of China have varied from one era to another, and include the “China of Marvels”, the “China of Enlightenment” or the “China of Exotics”. The “China of Marvels” caught the public’s imagination in medieval times with China being seen as highly advanced in many areas, compared to Western countries. But by the 13th century and the Yuan dynasty, this positive perception changed rapidly when China adopted anti-foreign policies. The Ming dynasty increased this xenophobic tendency with its ban on sea trade, thus forcing foreigners to leave China or hide their differences. At this time, prejudicial attitudes towards the Chinese appeared, including Germans coining the phrase “Yellow Peril”. After the the Opium Wars, the ensuing punitive treaties created new tensions and imbalances. However, today perceptions of China have returned to ones of enchantment and times of peace and tolerance.
