The Image Of China In The Eyes Of Lord Elgin

James Bruce, The eighth Earl of Elgin, is one of the most key bodies during the Second Opium War. He was disgusted by Chinese for ordering British and French allied forces burned the Yuanmingyuan Imperial Garden. He came to China for two times in1857-1861. During this period he also reached Japan and on behalf of the United Kingdom with the signing of the Trade Treaty. After he returned to England, he was transferred to the viceroy of India, and finally died of heart disease there. This paper tries to Explore China’s image in his eyes and reveals the deep cultural connotation of the Sino-British under the exotic image difference through the analysis of the text of Diaries and Travels. The image of India and Japan he shaped provide a reference to the image of China in his eyes.The article consists of four chapters. The first chapter introduces the life of Lord Elgin and the cause of his two trips to China. Palmerston sent Elgin as government special envoy to China After the outbreak of "the Arrow". The troops of British and French enter the city of Guangzhou under his leadership. Then he backed to Britain after represents the Government of the United Kingdom to sign the Treaty of Tientsin with the Qing government in1858. However, Elgin back to China in1859again and this time he gave an order burning the Yuanmingyuan Imperial Garden for revenge.The second chapter introduces the specific image of China in the eyes of him and discloses the cause why this image engendered. Masses are superstition and lack of patriotism; officials are stupid and cunning in his eyes; image of China is negative too. There are many reasons for the formation of this image in the eyes of Lord Elgin. Firstly, Elgin is not an aggressive person. Secondly, Elgin’s perceptions of China are affected by the pressure from public opinion and colleagues. Thirdly, it is his own summary of the experience in the struggle with China to take a tough tenet.The third chapter discusses the images of Japan and India in his eyes as a reference to the China’s image and reveals the cultural connotation of the difference. Affected by his predecessors, he takes India as a low weak nation and it’s culture is weaker than modern civilization. Two reasons lead Lord Elgin to give Japan a better judgment. First, Britisher’s rethinking of the problems of themselves. Second, Western countries in the19th century evaluate Japan through a pair of colored spectacles.The fourth chapter reverses the position of China and Britain, and study the British image in contemporary Chinese eyes. Chinese people this period either take British as barbarians or state of ceremonies. However, both are results of basing on the traditional Confucian concepts to exam the modern civilization in the United Kingdom.No matter the image of China, India or Japan in Lord Elgin’s eyes has a certain discrepancy with the actual situation. The causes of this gap between the East and the West in the19th century are the disparity of national strength and deep-rooted cultural conflict. And the China image in his eyes in fact has been mixed up with the collective imagination and creativity of British people.