Research Essay: Portrayal of China in Western Media

Week 10: History continues Eight Centuries: A Timeline of Western Contact with China

COM304 Portrayal of China in Western Media

Week10: European Imperialism and the Rise of Sinophobia

Readings Exercise: Discussion Points for Tutorial

Reading 1: Spence (1990): China and the Eighteenth Century World

1. What attitudes towards foreigners and foreign nations does Spence identify as characteristic of the Qing government?

2. Spence’s provides an account of the Macartney Trade Mission in 1793. Identify TWO ways in which Macartney’s experience in Qianlong’s China could have contributed to a negative attitude towards the Qing Imperial Court.

3. How does Spence’s account of the legal punishment/treatment of foreigners contribute to changing attitudes and the emergence of Sinophobia?

4. What does Spence mean by a “serious balance-of-payments problem” and how did this lead to the increase in the Opium trade?

Reading 2: Waley-Cohen (1993): China and Western Technology in the Late 18th

Century

1. What is Waley-Cohen’s main argument about the Qing response to the Macartney Trade Mission?

2. How does Waley-Cohen construct her argument using (a) rational argument and reasoning, and (b) empirical evidence?

3. How persuasive do you find Waley-Cohen’s thesis?

Students MUST complete the readings and consider these questions prior to attending Tutorial. These questions are not tests, but aimed at helping you to critically explore the course content. The exercises are not optional, and students who consistently fail to complete may be asked to leave Tutorial.