Investigating the introduction of Italian culture into Late Qing China through some foreign travel diaries (1867-1897): What culture? About what Italy? By what China?

This paper aims to provide an overview of the information on Italian culture available in diaries written from 1867 to 1897 by the official delegates of the Qing government. This implies a careful consideration of three aspects: first, the idea of ‘culture’ that the envoys referred to while abroad, in a time when the Chinese language had no exact equivalent for the word ‘culture’ as we conceive it today; second, the very existence of a well-defined Italian culture, in a period when Italy was just a new-born country; finally, the active role that the envoys played in conveying the image of unknown lands to their government and countrymen. Referring to Williams’ definition of the ‘social’, ‘documentary’ and ‘ideal’ categories of culture, this paper will highlight what aspects of Italy’s multi-faceted cultural production captured the attention of the Late Qing delegates and what overall image of it resulted from their travelogues.