China and the West

Katharina II. and Voltaire and China.
Susanna Lim : China and the Chinese emperor became valuable images in Catherine's representation of her rule and person, and she turned for direct inspiration to Voltaire, the foremost figure of the French Enlightenment and its most famous sinophile. He often served as both, mentor and audience in regard to Catherine's administration of her empire, in particular Russia's Asian realms. Finding herself for the first time in the city of Kazan she wrote to Voltaire : "Here I am in Asia ; I wanted to see it for myself. There are in this city twenty different peoples, who bear absolutely no resemblance to each other".
From the commissioning of palaces and gardens in the Chinese style to writing her own Chinese-inspired fiction, Catherine exhibited an enthusiasm that closely matched that of her mentor.