On The Roles Of Chinese Scholars In Sinology

Without academic exchanges,it’s difficult for the acdemic research to progress.The great significance of academic exchanges is to make up for one’s weakpoint with others’strongpoint.With the rapid development of modern technicology,the transportation becomes much more convenient,which makes the communication between Chinese and western scholars easier.The earliest contact between China and West is mainly through the travel notes of explorers,diplomats and merchants.Just as the myth created by Marco Polo(1254-1324),there are a lot of mistakes in these notes.As time goes by,the missionaries began their journey to China,such as,Giovanni da Pian del Carpine,Giovanni da Montecorvino and Odorico da Pordenone.The start of missionary sinology is marked by St.Francis Xavier(1506-1552)when he reached the island of Shangchuan in 1551.Unfortunately,he never entered China.In Ming and Qing dynasty,a great number of missionaries came to China to preach,but they also promote the mutual exchange between China and West by working together with Chinese scholars,which also stimulates the emerge of professional sinologists in European academe.Nowadays,the sinology flourishes and the the research of sinology is also going deep.It is very meaningful to study the mutual communication between China and West,Chinese scholars and Western scholars.The cooperation between sinologists and Chinese scholars flourishes since the arrival of missionaries,such as Michael Ruggieri(1543-1607)and Matteo Ricci(1552-1610),which brings about many excellent academic achievements and enriches the development of Chinese and western academic.Until now,the cooperation continues for hundreds of years and develops into a tradition.The key point of this thesis is one of the most typical examples of Sino-Western exchanges,Monumenta serica.Monumenta serica was issued at Peking Fu Jen Catholic University in 1935 by Franz Xavier Biallas(1878-1936).In its history of more than 80 years,it provides a platform for academic communication and promotes the cooperation between Chinese scholars and Western scholars by the Articles,Miscellaneous,Book Reviews,Re-view of Reviews,Obituaries and so on.As one of the most important journal in European Sinology,it has a far-reaching influence.This thesis will try to give a brief introduction to the roles of Chinese scholars in sinology and then discuss this theme more deeply by the case study of Monumenta serica.This thesis covers six chapters.The first chapter is introduction,including the research situation,motivation,purpose,ideas and methods of this thesis.The second chapter will give a brief description of what kind of roles do Chinese scholars play in sinology,especially in Missionary Sinology and Professinal Sinology.The third chapter will trace the history of Monumenta serica from 1935 to 1948.The fourth chapter will analyse the Chinese scholars’ roles in the early development of Monumenta serica.After careful analysis,the fifth chapter will give two thoughts on the Sino-Western cooperation.Besides the Monumenta Serica,the Monumenta Serica Monograph Series are also included in this research.This is merely a preliminary effort to explain the roles of Chinese scholars in Sinology.This topic deserves much more attention and if it helps to stimulate scholars’ interest in it,then it will fully serve its purpose.