What is Sinology?
Why is the Knowledge of Sinology Essential to Studies of China-Africa Cooperation?
The present article aims to highlight the role and impact of China-Africa cooperation studies through the light of Sinology studies 汉学 (Hanxue). In essence the article aims to explicate differences in definitions between Sinology and China-Africa Studies. It argues that China-Africa Studies will remain limited and devoid of future based analysis. Sinology, the study of China by foreigners has since time immemorial been the foundation of observing, reading and researching Chinese history, culture, identity formation in both ancient and contemporary times.
China-Africa studies have tended to take a perspective of events based analysis. Such a view has tended to limit China-Africa Studies to important high-level events between government leaders and institutions. The plethora of literature drawn from these studies tend to be limited as to the analysis of Chinese culture, history, philosophy, identities including other variables that inform the foundation of the Chinese society from ancient to contemporary era. At the least such studies tend to rely on the rosy-eyed explication of revolutionary ideological commonalities of the anti-colonial struggle.
The present article aims to highlight reasons and showcase instances as to why knowledge and understanding of Sinology is imperative to current China-Africa cooperation studies.
The First School of China-Africa Studies
The nascence of China-Africa studies has contributed with new knowledge that help understand trade, politics, interactions, and various exchanges that take place between leaders and peoples from respective nations in the relationship. There have been two main schools of China-Africa cooperation. The first is that, which holds to the ethos that China-Africa relations emerged as early as the 15th century. These studies normally cite sea voyages by Admiral Zheng He to Mombasa, in Kenya and Sofala in Mozambique and other small localities on the eastern coast of the African continent. There has been ample evidence that indeed voyages by Admiral Zheng did touch ground in the vast coastal region of East Africa. These studies have of late advanced to inquiries that include academic studies including communication, media, culture, intercultural exchanges, People-to-People relations and cross-cultural communication strategies.
The second school of China-Africa Studies
The second school tends to focus on trade and its development since the nascence of contemporary China-Africa cooperation. Scholars engaged in this school tend to focus on symmetries, synergies, trade-fairness or deficit and high-level political China-Africa cooperation. These studies may be regarded as a collective of China-Africa Trade Cooperation Studies.
China-Africa studies rely on interdisciplinary perspectives to study China-Africa relations, focusing on economy, politics, social, and cultural interactions, cooperation, development, and global governance. Employed methodologies tend to be eclectic and include case studies, comparative analysis, statistical analysis, and field research. The main goal of these studies is to analyse the role and impact of China in the development of Africa, and assessesimplications China-Africa cooperation for global governance and impact on policy analysis and formulation on the African side.
However, majority inquiries of China-Africa studies remain limited as they eventually hit a ceiling or a brick-wall. Such a limitation is caused by lack of or absence of in-depth Sinology skills and know-how. Lack of engagements with Sinology postulates that form foundational China knowledge limits inquiries into the subject of China-Africa relations and cooperation.
There is a plethora of literature that points out that there can be no thorough understanding of a culture, people, identities, and foundational practices that inform and shape their everyday lives. In the case where one lacks instruments that allow an in-depth inquiries into a given people or a civilisation it is impossible to study, decipher, understand and form an opinion of without having at least a basic understanding of their historical trajectories, culture, identity formation and languages that form their existence since the beginning of time.
Si duo dicunt idem non est idem.
If two languages say the same thing, it is not the same thing.
Translation: Stone, J. (2006)
Closer to home, the struggle icon and former the first of a democratic South Africa, President Nelson Mandela is known to have stated that; “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language that goes to his heart.“
Similarly, ‘traduttore, traditore’ dictum, is a classic example that points to a need of using local language as ‘translator’ is referred to as a ‘traitor’. Such a statement is made as an encouragement to use original language in most scenarios as to mitigate shortcomings and fallacies of translation and interpretation. Umberto Eco states that it’s necessary to understand that translation is not always exactly the same, but “almost”. These examples aim to demonstrate that engaging in China-Africa Studies devoid of Sinology is like speaking a foreign language that is neither understood by Africa nor by China.
What is Sinology?
“Sinology refers to the study of China by foreign scholars. Sinology consist studies of traditional Chinese language, writing, history, culture, thought, literature, art, religion, and institutions. Simply put, Sinology is the study of China by foreigners, which stands from an “outside” perspective and applies its own academic traditions and methods to understand and interpret Chinese civilization. Global Sinologists consist of Western scholars, scholars from East Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, South American scholars and to a lesser extent, African scholars.
The core features of Sinology include: the object of study is China: it focuses on the achievements of Chinese civilisation (both ancient and contemporary China). The researcher is a foreigner: researchers come from countries and regions beyond China. Three aspects that consist Sinology research variables are, ‘outside and foreign perspective’; ‘interdisciplinary’; and research of ‘text based materials’.
An “outside” perspective: providing a different perspective of observation and understanding from the local Chinese academic tradition, Chinese Studies 国学 (Guoxue).
Interdisciplinary: Sinology covers a wide range of disciplinary fields such as linguistics, history, philosophy, religion, literature, art history, archaeology, anthropology, and political science.
Text-based: traditional Sinology pays particular attention to the translation, verification, annotation and interpretation of classical Chinese texts (e.g., Confucian and Taoist texts, historical books, and literary works).
Sinology World Council
Definitions of Sinology by the Sinology World Council: Sinology is a multidisciplinary field of study that provides valuable insights into China’s complex and dynamic society, fostering greater understanding and cooperation between China and the world. Sinology, also known as Chinese studies, is the academic study of China that makes inquiries into culture, language, history, politics, society, classic and contemporary literature, folklore, allegories found in the classics, and Chinese linguistics.
Foundational feature of Sinology consist of examination of China’s past, from ancient China to contemporary times. Subjects that are part and parcel of China’s past consist of inquiries about pre-imperial China, imperial China and post imperial China that examine philosophy and religion, exploration of Chinese thought, from Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and governance. The two last aspects of Sinology inquiries fall under the rubric of culture and society. The two focus on the investigation of Chinese culture, social structures, and daily life to include art and archaeology to include Chinese art, architecture, and material culture.
The ultimate goal of Sinology is to help study and understand China’s past, present and future. Sinology aims to promote cross-cultural communication strategies to include cultural exchanges and understanding between China and other nations. Sinology aims to inform policy formulation, decisions on implementation and broader international relations.
The centrepiece of Sinology is founded in advancing teaching, learning and correct understanding and use of language. The Confucian subject of 证明 Zhengming and more contemporary 提法 tifa (correct formulation of words) refer to correct use of language as it refers to building of local identities and maintain social hierarchies in accordance the social Chines cultural realm. It also helps with understanding the social and national mood at any given time of interactions with national and individual Chinese entities.
Dangers of Sinology Deficit in China-Africa Studies
What are the key differences between Sinology and China-Africa Studies? In regards to geographic focus, Sinology encompasses various aspects of Chinese studies across the world. China-Africa Cooperation Studies is limited to relations between China and different individual African nations. In reference to methodologies Sinology employs more traditional humanities, social sciences, interdisciplinary approaches, while China-Africa Cooperation Studies tends to be eclectic in nature often dependent on the latest China-Africa event.
In more simplistic terms, Sinology focuses on China and its position in the world including future trajectories. China-Africa Cooperation Studies on the other hand, explore China’s presence and interactions on the African continent. The latter tends to limit itself to comparison and judgment of China on the African continent versus that manifest or promised by the West and its institutions. As a result of Sinology deficit in the continent, the verdict of these comparisons and judgments tend to favour Western narratives as benchmarks of standard conduct in cross-cultural communication and exchanges. The long-term, ‘traditional partner’ of the past half a millennia always wins by default of these judgments and comparisons, not as a voice of reason but for lack of ‘other voices’ among China-Africa scholars.
Sinology deficit in China-Africa Studies may result in lack of deeper analysis on the impact contemporary China and its culture on the African continent. Such deficit may lead to shortcomings in both understanding of current events and on laying out future scenario conditions that aim to strengthen China-Africa relations and cooperation. These may also lead to cultural insensitivities on both sides of the China-Africa cooperation spectrums. Such circumstances may lead to potential conflicts and in the process posing danger to the long-term future of the China-Africa cooperation and relations.
Events Based Analysis versus Future Based Scenario Analysis
Events based analysis relate to analysis of conferences, forums, seminars and visits by leaders and dignitaries from either side of the China-Africa cooperation. These include signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards a particular agreement or intent to engage in a particular cooperation activity, be it educational, industrial or economical. The most vogue type of MoU in the past decade has that which involves cultural exchanges and People-to-People Relations. One would assume that there has been lots of benefits for Africa emanating from these agreements. However, records reveal that little to none has been implemented simple because lots is lost in translation. Between Chinese and African governments there exists lots of dormant agreement in the form of unsigned ‘Agreement Frameworks’. An educated guess as to stagnation despite governmental agreements in place would there exist lack of understanding of offerings that are brought to the table and those that offer those products and services.
Future scenarios for sustainable China-Africa cooperation are first determined by how cooperation manages to consolidate its successes into a ‘Good China-Africa Story’.
That is, instead of only receiving; the other party also has to reciprocate symbolically and in kind to goods that are offered. The two questions below ought to help us find a possible path towards identifying and then mapping a strategy to enhance those successful moments – be they tangible or simply symbolic instances of China-Africa cooperation. It is in such instances that knowledge of Sinology becomes an asset that helps in understanding and accessing low hanging fruits of the China-Africa cooperation.
What are the measurable ‘quantifiable’ successes of the China-Africa Cooperation? How doChina-Africa cooperation parties consolidate, sustain and set in place long-term strategies aimed at enhancing cooperation between partners and the entire south-south cooperation in order to have a significant impact in the geopolitical spaces?
An answer to the above questions lies within an understanding of respective cultures among member states of China-Africa cooperation. However, it is now apparent that China-Africa Studies lacks instruments that would help understand and engage in deeper and meaningful cultural engagements between China and different African nations. There is a need to have a deeper knowledge and understanding of Sinology that may offer a window into understanding of deeper foundations that sustain traditional Chinese culture that enjoys a continuum from ancient to present Chinese society.
Overlaps and Differences
The present article has delved into details regarding similarities and differences between Sinology and China-Africa Cooperation Studies. Scholars, analysts and observers ought to also pay attention existent differences and overlaps between Sinology and China-Africa Cooperation Studies. By understanding overlaps and differences between the two, researchers will be able to navigate these fields and contribute to meaningful scholarship and policy discussions that aim to inform a long-term China-Africa cooperation and relations.
Overlaps between Sinology and China-Africa Studies consist of understanding China’s foreign policy and its role in geopolitics. Second overlap is in the analysis of China’s economic and political influence on the African continent. The third is that, which examines cultural exchange and people-to-people diplomacy. However, while China-Africa cooperation studies tends to focus on China’s impact on the African continent, Sinology seeks to understand ancient and imperial salient patterns that inform China’s current existence, development and rise to the global centre-stage since it nascence to the present day. China-Africa cooperation needs to urgently delve into Sinology in order to ensure a long-term partnership of equals and a successful building of a China-Africa community of a shared future along the principles of a Global Civilization Initiative.
In conclusion, Sinology is the study of China by foreigners, which has undergone an evolution since the times of encounters with Marco Polo in the year 1275, Jesuit missionaries, like Michele Ruggieri and Matteo Ricci in 1583. The discipline has evolved into a standard professional discipline that today incorporates modern social science methodologies. Today, Sinology provides an indispensable external perspective for the understanding of Chinese civilisation, and serves as an important bridge for Chinese-foreign cultural exchanges and academic research. In the modern context, it is often intertwined or integrated with the broader study of China. It is for such a reason that China-Africa cooperation Studies need to urgently engage Sinology as a sign and form of reciprocity to all China efforts to engageAfrica in its developmental quest through cross-cultural communication strategies in the form of People-to-People relations and People-to-People Exchange.
* Professor Paul Zilungisele Tembe, Founder and Director of SELE Encounters and a Practising Sinologist.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.