Sinophile

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a 17th-18th century German polymath who made significant contributions in many areas of physics, logic, history, librarianship, and studied numerous aspects of Chinese culture

A Sinophile (from sino- meaning Chinese [originating through Persian and Sanskrit from Late Latin Sinæ] and -philos meaning loving [from Greek ϕίλος]) is a person who demonstrates a strong interest and love for Chinese culture or its people. It is also commonly used to describe those knowledgeable of Chinese history and culture (such as scholars and students), non-native Chinese language speakers, pro-Chinese politicians, and people perceived as having a strong interest in any of the above.

Typical interests of Sinophiles

• Chinese cuisine
• Chinese languages (typically Mandarin or Cantonese)
• Chinese calligraphy and art
• Chinese astrology or horoscopes
• Ancient art of feng shui - Daoism
• Chan Buddhism
• Chinese philosophy - Confucianism
• Martial arts, such as variants of Kung fu
• Traditional cultural Han Chinese clothing Hanfu and Manchu-influenced Chinese clothing Qipao
• Chinese tea culture
• Chinese wine culture and baijiu

Notable Sinophiles

Albania

• Enver Hoxha, leader of the communist Albanian Party of Labor who considered the People's Republic of China Albania's primary ally and, from the late 1950s all the way to the late 1970s, the two countries had good relations.

Italy

• Marco Polo (馬可·波羅), Venetian trader and explorer, notable to visit Yuan Dynasty China and becoming a court official
• Matteo Ricci (利瑪竇 or 利玛窦), Jesuit priest who translated several western works to Chinese

Germany

• Gottfried Leibniz, German polymath who was fascinated with Confucius and I Ching
• John Rabe, German Nazi party member who helped to save Chinese civilians during the Second Sino-Japanese war.
• Max Bauer, a military adviser and commander within Chiang Kai-Shek's Kuomintang administration. He is buried in China.
• Alexander von Falkenhausen, another military adviser and personal friend to Chiang Kai-Shek. The two would exchange cultural items.
• Martin Heidegger, attempted to translate the Dao De Jing with Paul Hsiao, may have been more deeply influenced by Daoist thought

Australia

• Kevin Rudd, the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 who majored in Chinese language and history

United States

• Pearl S. Buck ( 賽珍珠 or 赛珍珠), who wrote many novels about China
• Anson Burlingame, ex-U.S. Congressman, who was appointed in 1861 to be the United States minister in China
• Jerome A. Cohen, a professor of law at New York University School of Law, expert in Chinese law and advisor to Republic of China President Ma Ying-jiu.
• Homer Lea, was military advisory and general in the army of Sun Yat-sen during Boxer Rebellion
• Cordwainer Smith, Godson of Sun Yat-sen
• Wallace Stevens, one of the most influential poets of the 20th century
• Wu-Tang Clan, a rap group from New York. There are many Chinese Kung-Fu themes within their songs
• Huey Newton, a social activist who described his time in China as a "psychological liberation" and praised Chinese contemporary society throughout his works

Canada

• Morris Cohen - was a Jewish-Canadian soldier and adventurer who became aide-de-camp to the Chinese leader Sun Yat-sen

• Mark Roswell (大山) - Ottawa native currently a CCTV personality and celebrity in China

• Dr. Norman Bethune - A famous medic

United Kingdom

• Aurora Carlson
• Daniel Newham
• Ally Neave
• Joseph Needham (李約瑟), a British biochemist best known for his works on the history of Chinese science
• Derek Bryan
• Reginald Johnston
• Herbert Giles
• David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn (魏德巍 /衛奕信), British diplomat and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Robert Morrison ( 馬禮遜 or 马礼逊), Scottish missionary
• Sir Cecil Clementi (金文泰), British colonial administrator and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Sir John Francis Davis (戴維斯 or 爹核士), Sinologist, diplomat and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Sir Edward Youde (尤德), diplomat, Sinologist and former Governor of Hong Kong
• Sir David Akers-Jones (鍾逸傑爵士), former administrator of Hong Kong and advisor to the Chinese government

See also

• Asian fetish
• Gary Locke