The Image Of China In Modern British Press

17th-18th century Burney Collection Newspapers is the largest and most comprehensive collection of news media in early England,including China's political,economic,social and cultural aspects.With the increase of Chinese content in British newspapers,the British people have a preliminary understanding of the image of China,and the image of China has a profound impact on the British society.The]7-18th century marked a period of intense change between China and Britain.China has enjoyed the prosperity brought by the "Kang qian Prosperous Age",but has not noticed the shadow of the prosperous age.At that time,the Qing government pursued an overseas policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce.The handicraft industry was only a subsidiary of agriculture,and its products,such as tea,silk and porcelain,were widely loved by the British and imported into Britain as commodities.By contrast,Britain's transformation was more drastic,the political overthrow of the feudal dynasty and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy by revolutionary means,while the economic commitment to overseas trade brought a steady stream of funds to Britain.This time coincided with the vigorous development of British newspapers and periodicals,and the deep contacts between China and Britain attracted the attention of British newspapers and periodicals,and different types of newspapers competed to report on China.From the viewpoint of the host group of newspapers and periodicals,the newspapers and periodicals of the 17th century were controlled by the government or the political parties,until the 18th century,the businessmen gradually got rid of the shackles of the political parties,and the newspapers and periodicals entered the stage of independent development.Therefore,the Chinese image in the British press is presented by most people,and their views on the Chinese image are also different.British newspapers have a wide range of contents,including the judgment of Chinese political environment,the investigation of Chinese economy and the cognition of Chinese culture.As for Chinese politics,the overall cognition of China's national conditions is that China has a vast territory and a large population,and the Chinese emperor,as the supreme ruler of China,is also described in the newspapers.From the newspapers related reports,think that the emperor is the day to protect the people,diligent in government affairs.On the investigation of China's economy,newspapers believe that China is rich in products and a loose foreign trade environment.On the one hand,Chinese products can meet the needs of the British people,on the other hand,China has a large population,there is broad market space.On the cognition of Chinese culture,newspapers and periodicals show that Chinese Confucianism is extensive and profound,especially Confucius plays an important role in China;Western missionaries in China were not plain sailing.Of course,to solve this problem,both Western monarchs such as Louis XIV and the Pope have communicated with Chinese emperors.In the Qianlong period,the purport of expelling missionaries in China was issued because of the disputes of interests involved.The newspapers show all kinds of information in China,and the British people have a more comprehensive understanding of China and have a profound influence on it.It is recorded in the press that a large number of tea,silk and porcelain products were shipped by East British company from China,which not only accelerated the accumulation of British capital,but also moved the development of related industries.In addition,these commodities became popular in Britain and set off a "Oriental sentiment" in the United Kingdom.Finally,with the demand of Britain's overseas expansion,the British King's failure to send Margarni Mission to China in the hope of gaining more rights,thus gradually changed Britain's policy toward China,and Britain will open the door to China by force.