Watching China Watching

知無涯，生有涯

‘The golden age of academic exchange between the US and China had passed and been replaced with something much, much worse.

‘Would it be possible to ever reach that place again? Perhaps not. But I was inspired to remember the efforts of those scholars who worked not only to understand China, but to bring that understanding to the wider world, and convince those barely paying attention that China was indeed worth watching.’

So muses Edi Obiakpani-Reid of the Sinobabble podcast and substack below. As she notes we ‘stand on the shoulders of giants. And some very boring textbooks.’ I would hasten to add that the stature of those of giants is anything but uniform and to the following list of scholars of modern China, I would hasten to add the names Benjamin Schwartz, F.W. Mote, Ray Huang, Lucian Pye, Tang Tsou and Joseph Levenson, among others. Since he is also US-based, Endymion Wilkinson, creator of Chinese History: A New Manual — an essential reference work for all serious students of China, be they Chinese or non-Chinese — is also included in my personal pantheon of US Sinologists. However, I would hasten to note that the terms ‘Sinology’ and ‘Sinologist’ have long had a particular odium in post-WWII American academia. Many of the scholars mentioned below would probably take exception at being called ‘Sinologists’ rather than being identified within the more serious confines of their disciplinary fields. For more on this subject, see:

• New Sinology in 1964 and 2022; and,
• Sinology vs. the Disciplines, Then & Now.

For my part, I am wary of the term ‘China Studies’ since, unlike ‘Chinese Studies’, it connotes the American-centric approach to Cold War-era scholarship. Readers of China Heritage, and in particular of the series Xi Jinping’s Empire of Tedium, will recall that I have had my reservations about US-led views of Maoist and post-Mao China since the late 1970s and the inexpert views of many China Experts. See:

• Jao Tsung-I on 通 tōng — 饒宗頤與通人;
• Recalling an Expert ‘China Expert’; and,
• Han Suyin and Two-faced People.

I would also recommend:

• Broken Engagement — US-China Experts in Recovery; and,
• Even Now, It Still Pays to Look Back.

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My thanks to Edi Obiakpani-Reid of Sinobabble for permission to reproduce the following essay. It is included as a chapter Watching China Watching, as well as in Celebrating New Sinology.

— Geremie R. Barmé
Editor, China Heritage
25 April 2026

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Sinology 101: The golden age of China-US exchange

We stand on the shoulders of giants. And some very boring textbooks.

Edi Obiakpani-Reid

24 April 2026

In a (now not so) recent podcast episode, Rory Truex and I mused that the golden age of academic exchange between the US and China had passed and been replaced with something much, much worse.

Would it be possible to ever reach that place again? Perhaps not. But I was inspired to remember the efforts of those scholars who worked not only to understand China, but to bring that understanding to the wider world, and convince those barely paying attention that China was indeed worth watching.

On the US side, most of these efforts took place in the 20th century (Europeans unfortunately have a much longer tradition which is a complete pain to map out) and the champions of the Chinese history/culture/politics movement, usually known as sinologists, should be remembered as such.

I wanted to share with you all a bit of what that golden age looked like, starting with some of the pioneering men and women who not only shaped modern Chinese studies as we know it today, but literally created it out of nothing. If it hadn’t been for their years of dedication to studying the modern and the ancient, the cultural and the political, the historical and the philosophical, connecting the dots and trying to present those dots to decision makers in Washington, relations between the US and China would look very different today. Believe it or not, it could have been much worse.

But first we have to take a quick trip down memory lane – my memory, to be precise – to give some context by answering the question that has plagued academics for years. What even is sinology?

That’s a great question

Simply put, Sinology is the study of the language, culture, history, philosophy, peoples and politics of China. It’s basically everything except the kitchen sink, though it’s defied true definition for years. The main problem with sinology is its all-encompassing nature, as well as its failure to fit into any pre-existing, broader categories of academia (e.g. social sciences, humanities, etc.). What approach, then, does one take when becoming a sinologist? The answer is pretty much any one that fits at the time.

For context, I received my Masters in Sinology from SOAS in a year of what can only be described as pure psychological torment. The course was so hard and convoluted that I’m pretty sure it doesn’t even exist anymore (OK I don’t know if that’s the actual reason, but that’s what I’m going with. Shout out to prof. Fuehrer for his proficiency in ritualistic torture).

To give you a flavour of what we had to go through, every week we had to present a two-page, fully referenced, academic journal-quality book review of one chosen book (examples include Emperor of China: Self-Portrait of K’ang-hsi by Jonathan Spence and Shore of Pearls by Edward H. Schafer); present a research project to the whole class every three weeks on a sinological topic (examples include “Explain the Four corners system 四角号码” or “Give a description and practical guideline for the Guanzhuibian” [管錐編] as if anyone knows what that is); and complete a 10,000 word dissertation on a unique research topic. This was on top of keeping up with the reading list in general (around 150 books) and taking 3 other courses in the Chinese Studies department. If you asked me to do any of these things again I would quite literally rather eat glass, but I do have to admit that after much grinding the true purpose of the course did reveal itself to me (probably in a fever dream).

By understanding the way China is and has been studied, we understand how to see China today. Early sinologists often spent years living and working in China with Chinese colleagues in order to bring a comprehensive understanding of China to politicians, students and colleagues in a way that would meaningfully shape discourse and policy. While it may lack focus or a true disciplinary home, the truth is sinology seeks to answer only one question: What is China?

The Sinologists

Sinobabble was started out of a love for the study of China, unencumbered by pesky contemporary notions such as geopolitics or ‘the news’, and a desire to communicate the simplicity of that feeling with a wider audience. That love was fostered in large part by the men and women listed below. In my heart of hearts I would probably love to be considered a sinologist. But I will settle for being a novice, and instead sharing the wise words of others far and wide, to remind ourselves that a golden age once existed, and its light shines on.

I should mention that this is not an exhaustive list! There are many, many American sinologists who did and are still doing great work. This list is intended to highlight some of the top, most notable scholars that I think everyone should know and, if you have time, read. They all contributed heavily to the field of sinology and changed the game in some way, to the extent that many of them are referenced by Chinese scholars. They also had an outsized impact on my own study of China. We owe a lot of how we talk about and understand China today to these men and women, but if you think there are others deserving of mention please leave a comment.

John King Fairbank (1907-1991)

We might as well start with the man, the myth, the legend himself. I’m a huge fan of nominative determinism, and in this case the name King could not have been more aptly given. Fairbank is often credited with the creation of modern sinology studies in the US, and with bringing the importance of understanding China to the fore. In one biography he is described as a “tireless worker in the fields of modern Chinese history and Chinese-American relations, a consummate strategist in the war to raise American consciousness of the importance of China in the contemporary world, and a master teacher who left an indelible mark on his students through precept and example.”

He became a Rhodes Scholar in 1929 and, studied at Harvard and Oxford, before travelling to China for the first time in 1932. As there was no ‘East Asian Studies’ as it exists today, his interest in China was influenced by other scholars, such as H. B. Morse, as well as a dogged determination to master the Chinese language. Incredibly relatable stuff.

He lived, studied and travelled for 3 years in China with his wife Wilma, before returning to Harvard to become a professor proper. He revisited China during the war as a civil servant, where he became convinced that the US’ floundering in the region was due to their lack of understanding of China from China’s perspective. He was mainly interested in modern China since the 1800s, using original language sources, and coincidentally highlighting the importance of the work of scholars and academics. He was beloved by students and colleagues alike, many of whom went on to become prominent sinologists as well.

Fairbank is best known for his work on the illustrious series The Cambridge History of China, intended to be a complete overview of China’s history since unification in 221BC until the beginning of the reform period in the 1980s (RIP to volume 4). While he didn’t contribute to every volume, Fairbank did conceive the idea and led the compiling of the works along with fellow historian/ sinologist Denis Twitchett. Although dry and laborious in some parts, these books are indispensable for anyone trying to read and write seriously about Chinese history. They provide the groundwork needed to understand the basics of culture, economy, politics, dynasty, court relations, agricultural systems, tributary and periphery states, continuity and change. Seriously, if you want to understand anything about Chinese history, it’s best you start here, just so you can hit the ground running.

If you think you’ve never read any of the 14 volumes, you’re probably wrong. Have you ever listened to a Chinese history podcast? Or read a book on Chinese history? Watched a show or documentary produced for a Western audience? Let me tell you right now, they’re probably borrowing very heavily from these textbooks. I know I did! Though dated, his other works are still worthy of consideration, including East Asia: Tradition and Transformation. For a history of his life, his own autobiography Chinabound wraps it up in a nice little bow.

Always learning, always thinking, always pushing the boundaries. RIP King, you would have absolutely hated the current state of academic exchange.

David Shambaugh (1953-)

When it comes to China since the Reform period, no one’s working harder to let you know what’s going on than David Shambaugh. With a book and/or article for pretty much every day of the week, this man is writing day and night to try and break down China’s political context in as simple a manner as possible for the average reader. If you’re interested in modern China, start here.

A lot of Shambaugh’s work revolves around China-US relations in particular, and seemingly trying to help Americans understand where they ‘lost’ China, and how to understand China’s place in the new world order. China Goes Global is an excellent start for anyone to learn more on this topic, as is the lesser known Beautiful Imperialist. If you’re interested in party politics his biography of Deng Xiaoping is well regarded, and China’s Communist Party: Atrophy and Adaptation explains clearly how the CCP went from the brink of self-destruction to newly revived, resilient, and formidable.

I’ve always found Shambaugh reliable in my own studies, so if you’re a contemporary Chinese Studies or IR student, definitely look into his work!

Maurice Meisner (1931-2012)

I’ve always found Meisner a joy to read. If other aforementioned authors can be described as ‘serious’ or ‘rigorous’, Meisner can be described as ‘fun’ (he apparently went by ‘Mauri’, if that’s an indication of anything). Born in Detroit and earning his MA and PhD at University of Chicago, he spent most of his career as professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He did not live or study for long periods in China, but he was committed to demystifying it and pushing against the red scare as much as possible.

Technically, Meisner is not a historian as he was documenting the era he lived in, but he always looked both backwards and forwards in his analysis, and was open to correction, editing his famous work Mao’s China and After several times following Mao’s death. His big works tend to be biographical, including Li Ta-Chao and the Origins of Chinese Marxism, The Deng Xiaoping Era: An Inquiry into the Fate of Chinese Socialism and Mao Zedong: A Political and Intellectual Portrait.

Philip A. Kuhn (1933-2016)

Praised as one of the foremost Chinese historians, Kuhn was a specialist in Qing social history, and often probed into lesser-explored areas such as emigration and shamanism. Like all great Americans, Kuhn was born in London, and studied under John K. Fairbank at Georgetown and Harvard, and contributed to our favourite volume, Cambridge History of China. He eventually succeeded his mentor as director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard.

His works envision China as a progressive, modernising state, eschewing the traditional dynastic cycle framework, which probably makes him even more appealing to modern China historians. Origins of the Modern Chinese State is a classic, but I’ve never read Soulstealers: The Chinese Sorcery Scare of 1768 which is supposed to be excellent. Maybe we can add that to next year’s book club list!

Perry Link (1944-)

Currently Professor Emeritus of East Asian Studies, Link specializes in 20th-century Chinese literature. He received his B.A. from Harvard in 1966 and his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1976. This is one of those rare cases where I’ve actually read his PhD thesis, Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies: Popular Fiction in Early Twentieth-Century Chinese Cities (now a book), which I cited heavily in early podcast episodes on Republican China!

If you’re interested in Chinese literature, poetry, and translation, Link’s work is readable and engaging. Secretly very good books are Evening Chats in Beijing and I Have No Enemies: The Life and Legacy of Liu Xiaobo.

Derk Bodde (1909-2004)

Known for his deep knowledge of China’s historical legal system, Bodde had the fortune to visit China early in his life in 1919, accompanying his father who taught in Shanghai. He was studying at Harvard when the Harvard-Yenching Institute was founded, and was the first recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to China in 1948. He was professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Pennsylvania from 1938 till his retirement.

Bodde produced around 100 articles and more than a dozen monographs on Chinese philosophy, language, literary criticism, mythology, feudalism, law, festivals, science and technology, social and political history, and religion. And yes, he did contribute to the Cambridge History of China. The standout works here are History of Chinese Philosophy and Chinese Thought, Society, and Science: The Intellectual and Social Background of Chinese Science and Technology.

Paul A. Cohen (1934-2025)

Cohen received his PhD at Harvard under Fairbank, and went on to become Professor of Asian Studies and History at Wellesley College and Associate of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. A true Sinologist in the traditional sense, Cohen’s work focused on the history of the history of China (otherwise known as historiography). As part of the ‘second generation’ of American sinologists, his work is credited with a shift from Occidentalist understanding of China to ‘Sino-centric’ understanding.

I know Cohen more through his articles and contributions than his monographs, but highly rated books include China and Christianity and Between Tradition and Modernity: Wang T’ao and Reform in Late Ch’ing China.

[China Heritage Note: We would add History in Three Keys: The Boxers as Event, Experience, and Myth; China Unbound: Evolving Perspectives on the Chinese Past ;and, Speaking to History: The Story of King Goujian in Twentieth-Century China.]

Barry Naughton (1951)

Uh Oh, it’s boring economics textbook time! Naughton is an economist who is notable for being one of the first Western scholars to write about Mao’s Third Front Project (we’ve got a lovely podcast ep on this), though his focus is usually on China’s economic and financial systems. He gained his PhD from Yale in the 80s, and is currently So Kwan Lok Chair of Chinese International Affairs School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC San Diego.

I’m never sure if Naughton really counts as a ‘true’ sinologist, but I know that you will run into something he’s written if you’re studying China’s contemporary economy and economic miracle, so make of that what you will. The Chinese Economy: Transitions and Growth holds a begrudging space on my China bookshelf, but if you want a read to fall asleep to Urban Spaces in Contemporary China or China’s financial reform: Achievements and challenges will do just as well.

Elizabeth J. Perry (1948-)

Not only is Elizabeth Perry in this A-tier list, she’s also the only scholar here who was actually born in China. The child of American missionaries in Shanghai, Perry’s family fled around the time of the revolution, and she spent most of her childhood in Japan. She gained her PhD on the topic of peasant revolts in Huaibei and the Communist Revolution, and she worked as professor at various universities before meandering, as most of them do, to Harvard, becoming director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute in 2008.

If you need to know something about governance, reform, protest or power in 20th century China, you need to read Perry. I don’t think I’ve ever written on a topic from the Mao era without having to reference one of her works. If you need a counter to a fact, it’s going to be in something she’s written. Challenging the Mandate of Heaven, Popular Protest and Political Culture in Modern China and The Political Economy of Reform in Post-Mao China really are those girls.

Benjamin A. Elman (1946-)

If you only know a handful of names on this list, Elman is probably one of them. One of the foremost scholars on Chinese scientific and intellectual history, he’s written some serious tomes on education, exams, and philosophy in late imperial China. He has taught at most of the top China studies departments in the US, including UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton and, you guessed it, Harvard.

I actually had the privilege of hearing Elman speak in person when we attended the same conference once. He came across as softly spoken and considerate, and nodded thoughtfully when I asked a question, officially making him the best person on this list. Somewhere in the world there exists a photo of me and Elman standing together. Anyway, A Cultural History of Civil Examinations in Late Imperial China is probably on your reading list, so go read it.

Albert Feuerwerker (1927-2013)

Would you believe me if I told you Feuerwerker received his PhD from Harvard in the 1950s and went on to become one of the top second generation American sinologists to come out of that school? Not to mention he went on to establish Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan, and he was also on Elizabeth Perry’s dissertation board, so we know we can trust him. And, yes, he did contribute to the illustrious Cambridge History of China as editor and writer.

Feuerwerker’s works focus the Chinese economy in the 19th and 20th centuries, and took special interest in areas such as foreign presence in China and Chinese traditions as a barrier to modernisation. He has at least 2 books called The Chinese Economy, another on Economic trends in the Republic of China, 1912–1949, and another notable work The Foreign Establishment in China in the Early Twentieth Century.

Edward L. Shaughnessy (1952-)

Now this is a ubiquitous name in China studies if you ever saw one. Currently Professor of Early Chinese Studies at the University of Chicago, Shaughnessy is an expert in the study of the Zhou dynasty and the Chinese Classics. His work is a must read for anyone interested in early Chinese philosophy and thought, the I Ching, and Bamboo manuscripts. I personally have no interest in this area of Chinese history, but was forced to study it at gun point several times, and Shaughnessy’s work made it bearable for sure.

For a more approachable introduction to the subject, The Cambridge History of Ancient China is a good place to start. For the next level up, check out Rewriting Early Chinese Texts. It only gets worse from there.

Philip C. C. Huang (1940-)

Huang was born in Hong Kong, and earned his PhD from the University of Washington in 1966. Huang served as Professor of History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1966 to 2004, where he was also the founding director of the Center for Chinese Studies from 1986 to 1995. Currently Professor emeritus of History at UCLA, his work social, economic, and legal history of China from the Qing to Republican period.

Probably his most notable work, The peasant economy and social change in North China was a lifesaver for my thesis. He has also written on the Chinese legal system, social history, and civil society.

Frederick Teiwes (1939-)

Last but certainly not least, Teiwes is one of the foremost scholars of Chinese elite politics in the Western world. Although based in Australia and Professor Emeritus of Sydney University, he is American by birth and training, so he makes the list. Considered an expert on Mao’s China, his notable works include, Politics at Mao’s Court, Politics and Purges in China, and China’s Road to Disaster, alongside many, many more.

Apparently, at his retirement dinner Shambaugh said of Teiwes “”His published contributions have been seminal and personal presence considerable…I do not think I know of another researcher in our field with higher evidentiary standards. This professional trait has lodged Fred’s studies in the prized ‘definitive’ category.” How lovely.

[China Heritage Note: The Australian historian Warren Sun 孫萬國 was a key collaborator in and co-author of many of Teiwes’s later projects on the elite politics and machinations of the Chinese Communist Party.]

Honorable mentions

A list of people who really know their stuff. I may have read one or two of their articles, but I don’t feel I know enough about them or their impact on the field to include them with the main bunch. Nevertheless, I know they deserve to be here somewhere!

Jerome A. Cohen
John DeFrancis
William C. Kirby
William H. Hinton
Evelyn Rawski
Kenneth Pomeranz
Edward L. Dreyer
Melissa J. Brown
Richard Baum
Susan L. Mann

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Source:

• Sinology 101: The golden age of China-US exchange, Sinobabble, 24 April 2026

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