The Representation About Africa In The Chinese Travel Writing On Africa From 1950s To 1970s

The history of China’s contact with Africa can be tracked back to the 2nd century BC,and the African travel writing started even earlier since the 8th century AD.In ancient China,Africa was written as a trading partner in travel writing.In modern China,Africa has frequently been included in overseas travel writing as a way of visiting the West or the world.Since 1949,Africa really became a travel destination for Chinese people and the cross-culture communication between China and Africa was an important event.Given the new world order,China’s foreign policy and China-Africa relations,a group of intellectuals,such as writers,journalists,editors,diplomats and Africa aid builders,have traveled to Africa and created African style traveling writings.These works reproduce the historical period from the founding of the People’s Republic of China to the period before the reform and opening up.Intellectuals with official backgrounds have personal experience in Africa and their knowledge,interpretation and reproduction of Africa act as an important role on reflecting the production and dissemination of African knowledge in China.These travel writings involve knowledge of Africa’s physical geography,political system,historical reality,customs,culture and art,education and medical care,etc.,which have significant influence on understanding the image of Africa,especially on exploring the establishment of the image of Africa in China in the 20 th century and the discourse system in which China speaks about Africa.It also has practical reference value for the understanding of contemporary China-Africa relations.In the overall context of China’s overseas travel and travel writing between the19 th century and the 20 th century,this paper focuses on the Chinese travel writing on Africa from the 1950 s to the 1970 s.It explains,researches and analyzes the travel experience of Chinese people,as well as their cognition,interpretation and representation of Africa at that time to explore the role of travel writing in the production of African knowledge and the establishment of African image.This paper is divided into three chapters.Chapter 1 offers the overview of China’s overseas travel and travel writing from the 19 th century to the 20 th century,analyzes the changes of Africa from the way of the world travel to the destination and the writing centers in Chinese travel writing under the background of China-African relations from 1950 s to 1970 s.This chapter also focuses on the effect of travel writing on African knowledge and image.From the travelers’ limited contact zone and the recognition of different African countries,this chapter analyzes the phenomenon that how Africa is conceptualized,simplified and stereotyped as a whole.The chapter 2 focuses on the landscapes in travel writing,including natural scenery composed of deserts,plateaus and vegetation,modern urban landscapes mixed with eastern and western cultures,and rural and urban landscapes with local characteristics,which are endowed with special meaning,such as aesthetics,economics and politics.This chapter also analyzes the representation and writing of historical sites and cultural relics in the travel writing,the stance of African travelers facing African reality and culture,cultural relativism,anti-colonial tendencies,and the historical view of the people as the main body.The chapter 3 aims to investigate the narration of modern African stories in the travel writing,such as the revolutionary stories of the African people,the heroic legends against imperialism and colonialism,and the portrayal of ordinary people in Africa.By exploring the representation of African people’s national feelings,patriotism,hospitality,kindness and courage in travel writing,this chapter also reveals the friendly attitude of Chinese travelers towards Africa and the writing strategy of idealizing Africans.This paper,from the perspective of travelers’ personal experience,landscape,historical relics and African people’s characters,explores the way of Chinese travelers’ seeing and writing about Africa from 1950 s to 1970 s and its role in the production of African knowledge and the formation of discourse system in China.