The First Contact between the West and China: Sinology´s Origin

In this study the first contact between Western and Asia culture, specifically with China, is reviewed. It begins with a reference to the Roman Empire mentioning the most relevant reference works for a more in-depth study. Next, it focuses on the diaspora of Nestorian Christianity towards the East and specifically its location in Chinese territory, considering also the main reference works and following a historical and lineal story.Then, the trips of Benjamín de Tudela, althoughthey did not go beyond Mesopotamia and thePersian Gulf, served to verify the existence ofJewish communities in the Far East. In that frameof reference, the context of the Silk Road wouldexplain its dedication on the one hand and, onthe other, it delimits them curiously outside theChinese territory, delving into the hermetism ofthe Asian country. In the Middle Ages and theEuropean Renaissance, and anticipating the tripsof Spaniards and Portuguese, the figure of MarcoPolo is undoubtedly the most outstanding in thetask of spreading the knowledge about China inthe West. And in that sense also Ibn Battuta, then,is relevant. Finally, and from the stories writtenby these three travelers, multiple expeditions toMongolia and China are evinced. A selection ofthese concludes the present work.