Sinology in Germany and Chinese Studies in the Context of Globalization

Usually these sinologists relied on Chinese sources and thereby quite often conceived themselves as inheriting the tradition of the Chinese literati. Although usually taking an interest in what happened in contemporary China, they only randomly recognized the true dimension of political and intellectual currents within China. Even though occasionally sympathizing with various currents among China＇s new elite, including revolutionary groups, these sinologists directed their study of China toward recon- structing the past rather than toward observing the building up of a new China. As a result, there was a widening gulf between contemporary China and the China of the sinologists＇ research.