China and the West

Benjamin Franklin and China : general
Quelle : Du Halde, Jean-Baptiste. Description géographique, historique, chronologique, politique et physique de l'empire de Chine et de la Tartarie chinois. (1735) [ID D1819].
Dave Wang : Benjamin Franklin was 'the most eminent mind that has ever existed in America'. Americans show respect to him because he was 'generous, open-minded, learned tolerant '. He had a clear vision of the road America should take and he spent time in helping to make sure that it would be achieved. His ideas and visions helped to lay the foundation for the United States of America. Franklin was 'the first and foremost American sinophile' in the United States. He was an expert on China, even according to today's standard. His understanding of Chinese civilization was better and deeper than many of today's scholars. Franklin explored almost every aspect of Chinese civilization, from spiritual to material. His interest in China included Confucius' moral philosophy, industrial product, industrial technologies and agricultural plants. He endeavored to use Confucius' moral philosophy to improve his own virtue. It was in Philadelphia where Franklin had the opportunity to access his knowledge of Chinese civilization. Philadelphia was the center of Chinese culture in North America. In the 18th century, things Chinese, or in the Chinese style, then began a steady infiltration of the homes of the American city-dwelling merchant. The Philadelphia inhabitants had access to more reliable knowledge concerning this aspect of Chinese life than readers anywhere else in the West. It was popular for the residents, to use Chinese wall paper to decorate their homes. Chinese products, including teas, silk, porcelain, and cloth became part of the social milieu of colonial and post-revolutionary Philadelphia.
Franklin was deeply impressed by China Due to the limited communication between China and the United States, he was forced to use extra efforts to collect information on China. Unsatisfied with the book he read, he tried to contact people who had been to China. In order to obtain information on Chinese life and customs, he contacted the sailors on the Packet who had previously made the trip to the China seas. He obtained his knowledge of Chinese navigation from Captain Thomas Truxtun.
Franklin had a very deep interest in the Chinese governmental system, such as its legal code, the way of social promotion, statistics system and economical theory.