Beyond academia and politics: understanding China and doing sinology in Czechoslovakia after World War II
2014
Abstract
The article presents the early history of sinology in Czechoslovakia from 1945 to 1959, when the foundations of the Prague School were laid. Using interviews and written sources, such as the popular journal Nový Orient and Czech translations of Chinese literature it demonstrates the importance of popularization for CZechsolovak sinology and persistence of idealized picture of China as a country with heritage of humanism to be emulated by Europe.
It also demonstrates how following the victory of communism in both countries, the romantic vision of Chinese culture became fused with the ideals of communism. Considerable space is dedicated also to Jaroslav Průšek (1906-1980).