Peking opera performers take part in a decorated vehicle parade as a London’s celebration for the Chinese New Year in 2015. (XINHUA)

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The history of cultural exchange between China and Britain has lasted for hundreds of years. Here are some crucial figures and moments that shed light on the cultural contacts between the great civilizations.

 

China in British books
In his 1267 Greater Work, or Opus Majus, British philosopher Roger Bacon recorded a French missionary’s experience in the East, which is the first reference to China in a book written by British people. In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer’s translated work The Consolation of Philosophy introduced “the country of silk,” which was the first time an English-language literary work mentioned China.

 

George Staunton, Joseph Needham
Sir George Staunton published the English edition of the Great Qing Legal Code in London in 1810. This was the first complete English-language work to be directly translated from Chinese. Previous books about Chinese culture were translated from European-language editions. The book marked the beginning of direct cultural exchange between the two countries.

Britain sent a diplomatic corps to China in 1792 to expand commercial trade. George Staunton also went along with his father who led the corps. During the trip to China, he learned Chinese from the translators and made such great progress in a short time that he could converse with Qing Emperor Qianlong during a visit by British envoys. Sir George Staunton was considered Britain’s first China hand. His translation of the Great Qing Legal Code boosted bilateral communication in the legal domain and laid a foundation for greater British understanding of China.

Joseph Needham was a British biochemist and Sinologist known for his work Science on Traditional China, the world’s first work on the history of Chinese science and technology with systematic and concrete material. Also, the history book shifted some scholars’ view on the scientific achievements of the ancient China, exerting a profound impact on cultural exchange between the East and the West.

 

Confucius Institute, cultural year
The first Confucius Institute in Britain was initiated by Confucius Institute Headquarters and the University of London in June 2005. More Confucius Institutes have been established due to the collective efforts and growing cooperation between universities in the past decade. Currently, 29 Confucius Institutes are scattered throughout Britain, the largest number in Europe.

The two governments announced the launch of 2015 China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange during Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Britain in 2014. This was the first year of cultural exchange at the national level in which a series of quality activities were showcased in the two countries.

 

(edited by MA YUHONG)