Sinophile
A Sinophile is a person who demonstrates a strong interest for China, Chinese culture, Chinese language, Chinese history, and/or Chinese people.[1][2][3]
Sinophile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 親華派/親華者 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 亲华派/亲华者 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hanyu Pinyin | Qīn huá pài/Qīn huá zhě | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vietnamese alphabet | thân Trung Quốc, thân Trung Hoa, thân Tàu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chữ Nôm | 親中國, 親中華, 親艚 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kanji | 支那贔屓(しなひいき)、シノファイル | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Those with professional training and practice in the study of China are referred to as Sinologists.
Typical interests
The overall study of Chinese culture is referred to as Sinology. This could include Chinese fashion styles like Traditional cultural Han Chinese clothing (Hanfu), and Manchu-influenced Chinese clothing (qipao). Another area of Chinese culture is cuisine and liquor, such as Chinese wine culture and baijiu. Medicine, architecture, characters, language (and varieties such as Mandarin and Cantonese), are also areas of interest for Sinophiles. They also tend to be drawn towards Chinese astrology and horoscopes, as well as Feng Shui and Kung Fu. The history of China, Chinese philosophies and folk religions like Daoism, Chan Buddhism, and Confucianism are also topics of Sinology, as well as the Politics of China, socialism with Chinese characteristics, Dengism, Three Principles of the People, one country, two systems, the Mass Line. Chinese artwork is a topic of interest for many Sinophiles. The Chinese arts, encompass poetry, literature, music, calligraphy and cinema, as well as Chinese traditional forms of theatrical entertainment such as xiangsheng and operas.
Notable Sinophiles
Italy
- Marco Polo (c. 1254-1324), Italian explorer who was one of the first Europeans to visit China and narrated about the nation in his travelogue, The Travels of Marco Polo[5]
- Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), Italian Jesuit who was the first to translate the Confucian classics into Latin and taught European science to the Emperor and the Chinese literati[6]
Russia
- Dmitri Mendeleev (1834-1907), Russian chemist and inventor[7]
- Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), Russian writer widely considered one of the world's greatest novelists[7]
Australia
- Edwin Maher (born 1941), New Zealand-born Australian journalist who worked as a news reader for CCTV-9 until 2017, following a long career on Australian TV
- Paul Keating (born 1944), Leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996[8][9][10][11]
North America
United States
- Allen Iverson (born 1975), former NBA star basketball player who has expressed affinity for the country[12][13]
- Stephon Marbury (born 1977), former NBA star basketball player who joined the Beijing Ducks and has expressed affinity for the country[14][15]
- James Veneris (1922-2004), US soldier who defected to China after the Korean War and remained in the country expressing positive feelings until his death in 2004[16]
Cambodia
- Norodom Sihanouk (1922-2012), Cambodian king who sought refuge in China and praised the country[17]
India
- Dwarkanath Kotnis (1910-1942), Indian doctor dispatched to China during the Second Sino-Japanese War[18]
Thailand
- Sirindhorn (born 1955), Thai princess who has received awards in China for promoting friendship between the two countries[19][20]
See also
References
- "Sino-, comb. form1". OED Online. Oxford University Press. June 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Definition of 'Sinophile'". Collins Dictionary. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- "Sinophile", The Free Dictionary, retrieved 23 June 2022
- "Emperor Kangxi and The Sun King Louis XIV".
- Mackerras, Colin (2000). Sinophiles and Sinophobes: Western Views of China [Literary anthologies of Asia]. United States: University of Michigan. ISBN 9780195918922.
- Brook, Timothy (August 1986). "Reviewed Work: The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci. by Jonathan D. Spence". JSTOR 2056104.
- Alexander Lukin (2003). The Bear Watches the Dragon: Russia's Perceptions of China and the Evolution of Russian-Chinese Relations Since the Eighteenth Century. M.E. Sharpe. pp. 314–. ISBN 978-0-7656-1026-3.
- "China wants to 'take over' Australian politics, former spy chief warns". South China Morning Post. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "Paul Keating blasts Age and SMH for 'provocative' China war story | Paul Keating | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "'Worst international decision': Australia's ex-PM blasts Aukus submarine deal". South China Morning Post. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "Former Australian PM Paul Keating criticises Liz Truss over 'demented' China comments | Australia news | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "Allen Iverson's Red-Hot Romance With China". Hashtag Legend. 2 January 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021.
- Gonzalez, John (11 March 2020). "Where Does Allen Iverson Fit In?". The Ringer.
- "Marbury madness rivals Linsanity in China". Bangkok Post. March 2012.
- Stephon Marbury discusses retiring and why he loves China, archived from the original on 22 December 2021, retrieved 21 December 2019
- HENRY CHU (30 March 1999). "Expatriates' Long March Through China's History". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021.
- Teddy Ng (October 2012). "Xi Jinping mourns 'China's great friend' Sihanouk". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020.
- Soutik Biswas (21 May 2013). "Why is India's Dr Kotnis revered in China?". BBC News.
- 京报网 (3 February 2022). "泰国公主诗琳通抵达北京,将出席北京冬奥会开幕式" [Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand arrives in Beijing and will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics]. Toutiao. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023.
- Jitsiree Thongnoi (22 September 2019). "Thailand's long-time Sinophile Princess Sirindhorn to receive China's Friendship Medal". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022.