The Study Of The Chinese Chinoiserie In Europe In Early And Middle Qing Dynasty

The communication between China and the West can be traced back over the centuries. With the great geographical discovery in the sixteenth century, European countries started outward expansion eagerly .As a mean aspect of European expansion, religion followed up quickly. So overseas Christian missionaries came into being and marched to China. Owing to missionaries, who accidentally bridged Chinese culture and western culture, China and Europe communicated directly, widely and deeply for two centuries (16-18 century) . Also thanking to missionaries, Chinoiserie which never appeared before swept the whole Europe and left an important impact on Europe.This article takes Chinoiserie in Europe in early and middle Qing Dynasty as the research object and the relation between Christian missionaries and Chinoiserie as the clue, briefs the help Europeans took by reading missionaries'works, analyses the function missionaries'works performed in Chinoiserie's arising and booming, and gives an overall description of Chinoiserie in Europe, which is including daily life and ideology.This article includes three parts: The first part briefs the Christian mission's characteristic, analyses the missionaries'works'content; The second part dilates Chinoiserie reflected in daily life, industry and fashion; The third part analyses Chinoiserie in mentally sides, focusing on the influence Chinese culture left on Enlightenment in the aspects of belief, politics, education and economy. Finally this article appraises the value of this cultural exchange both to China and to the West.