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an analysis of these other empires.Thorpe also argues that if China was representedat all,it was as fashionable“Chinoiserie”,which was at its peak in the eighteenth century.And it examines the prologue to Arthur Murphy’s 1759 version of The Orphan of China,which claims that the play had brought“Confucius morals to Britannia’s ears.”However,Thorpe shows that the play’s invocation of Confucianism was more to do with thecontemporary British interest in moral reform than a genuine interest in Chinesephilosophy.The Orphan of China was not received in Europe as a true representation ofChinese theatre,but rather as a tool for exploring British self-identity and moral reform.Thorpe’s analysis sheds light on the complex ways in which European audiences engagedwith Chinese culture in the eighteenth century.

Chapter Two Monological Constuction of The Orphan ofChina as an Imagination

2.1“Chinoiserie”and Voltaire’s“Imaginary China”

2.1.1 The Rise of the Chinoiserie Trend

In the 15th and 16th centuries,with the geographic discoveries of Western explorers,the Western traders gradually found the mysterious land of the East.Unlike Ming dynasty’scultural exchanges which promoted virtue and the prestige of the dynasty,Westerners weremore interested in economic profitability and cultural expansion.After the 16th century,although the Ming government imposed a ban on the sea,it still opened the Guangzhou portand allowed Chinese and foreign merchants to do import and export trade.The trade routewas also a channel for cultural diffusion.After the middle of the Ming Dynasty,more andmore merchants from Portugal,Spain,the Netherlands,England,and other Europeancountries came to China,and a large number of Jesuits also came to China with merchantships to carry out missionary activities(Qian 82).The Jesuits’missionary work was anattempt to anesthetize the Chinese people ideologically and to serve the colonial activities ofEuropean countries.However,in order to achieve their missionary aims,they focused onlearning Chinese language and writing and classical scriptures,striving to understandChinese traditional culture,studying Chinese Confucian philosophical thought,and thentranslating and spreading it to Europe.They started a craze of studying Sinology in Europe,so that Chinese traditional culture was widely spread in European countries.It was in thishistorical context that The Orphan of Zhao went abroad and began its European journey.

2.2 The Orphan of China and the Doctrine of Confucianism

Voltaire attempted to promote Confucianism through The Orphan of China in order tocriticize the dominant Christian thought in the West.He also used the play to illustrate thatan enlightened monarchy was the best political choice for France.Voltaire tried to reformFrance by relying on Confucianism,promoting monarchy in politics and criticizingChristian thought in religion.Therefore,Voltaire did not attempt to understand the originalwork,but instead imposed his own interpretation on it,blindly praising the Chinese systemwhile depriving Eastern voices and perspectives.

2.2.1 The Spread of Confucianism in Europe

As the writings of the Jesuits who came to China on China continued to be published inEurope,the Confucian classics attracted great attention in Europe.In particular,thepublication of the Chinese philosopher Confucius by Philippe Couplet has had a profound本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。