Historical Studies (Chinese Edition)

No.4, 2017

 

Crossover: Paul Samuel Reinsch and the Three Dimensions of his Experience in China-US Relations

(Abstract)

 

Ma Jianbiao and Lin Xi

 

In the history of China-US relations from the 19th century on, there was no lack of figures who combined the roles of scholar, diplomat and crossculture communicator, such as Samuel Wells Williams, William Woodville Rockhill, John Leighton Stuart, etc. However, the changing times meant Reinsch’s experience in these roles was unique. His border-crossing experience epitomized the American scholars who engaged in politics during the Progressive Era. As a scholar, Reinsch’s academic thinking provided theoretical support for the US Far East policy at the beginning of the 20th century, and he exerted academic influence on China-US relations through the American Political Science Association (APSA). He worked both as a scholar and a diplomat to handle the crisis in China-US relations during the World War I, which faced him with a dilemma over his own identity. As a cross-cultural communicator, Reinsch had a praiseworthy desire to improve communication between China and the US, “helping” the weaker Chinese culture from the stance of a strong American culture, but the result was counterproductive. Before and after becoming ambassador to China, Reinsch and his fellow APSA scholars were active in the China-US diplomatic arena, devoting themselves to establishing China-US relations with a strong academic flavor. It should be noted that the moral values of “equality” and “freedom” that Reinsch advocated were in essence still “Western values” representing the strong American culture.