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The Question of Hu by Jonathan Spence: Sample Book Review
The Question of Hu, written by Jonathan Spence, is a book that presents the history of the early relationship between China and Europe, specifically France. It centers about John Hu, a fervent Chinese Catholic who set on a journey to Europe in the 1720s in the company of another Jesuit missionary (Father Foucquet) (Spence, 1988). In this sample paper, we see that the book depicts a height of in-depth research and scholarly in the way it covers issues of the Chinese and French cultures, religious beliefs, moral and ethical obligation, and madness. Hu’s major agenda was to engage, together with Foucquet, on the translation of eleven crates Chinese texts obtained by the Father. The author manages to present a first-hand experience in the read, which utilizes the present tense. Further, Spence uses primary actors, original letters and documents that give it a touch of originality in the presentation of historical constructs. It also incorporates Parisian police reports from the eighteenth-century and the Vatican diplomatic archives to bring out the historical events (Mazlish, 1992, p. 143).
Throughout the book, Jonathan Spence shows attention to detail and keenness in the description of historical events, the cultures, faiths and relationship between Europe and China. For instance, Mazlish describes the author as nearly obsessive in the extraction of minutiae in all circles of life at the time (Mazlish, 1992, p. 145). Attention is given in the description of relations, customs, furniture and dress among other things. That the information is retrieved from ‘tiny scraps of paper, hidden from the eyes of ordinary historians’ depicts the extent of accuracy and keenness in the book. However, the book just recounts history and attaches fiction in the presentation of historical ideas instead of constructing it through active and analytical reconstruction. Spence’s work is a historical fiction contrary to the argument developed by Mazlish that the book ‘is not a true piece of historical narrative’ (Mazlish, 1992, p. 143).
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Analysis of The Question of Hu
Contrary to the argument raised by Mazlish, The Question of Hu is a historical fiction that covers different segments of a historical narrative. In the book, Spence addresses historical issues in depth and manages to outline clearly an image of life at the time. The book can, therefore, be useful as a tool for studying the history of the Chinese-European relationship (Mazlish, 1992, p. 143; Jung, 2002, p. 2). The application of primary sources of information reveals and the integration of realistic and fictional characters and events serves an important role in the development of the historical fiction.
Historical fiction is an important tool for studying the past. As a historical fiction, Spence’s work serves as a useful tool for studying the past. The Question of Hu depicts its applicability in the learning of history in the way it tackles the past. It depicts the historical relationship between the French and Chinese in an articulate and easy to understand manner.
The author utilizes accurate historical events to outline the issues of culture, belief, and interaction between people of different religious and cultural beliefs. Citing Lukacs, Scott, and Goethe, Mazlish argues that a historical book takes history seriously (Mazlish, 1992, p. 151). The seriousness with which Spence takes history is depicted in the way he handles historical issues in the book. As earlier stated, the author reveals high-level keenness in the description of historical events. Therefore, its historical depth and ability to prompt historical curiosity makes it an important tool for studying the past.
The application of the historical fiction of The Question of Hu can enhance understanding in studying the past. Spence’s work is a performative that the reader can apply to construct ideas and develop perspectives that would enhance the understanding of historical events of the eighteenth-century. The author engages in a dominant mode of performativity to explain behaviors and demarcate and explain actions and settings (Spence, 1988; Wilson, 2011, p. 190). In the presentation of the characters, Spence arouses the curiosity of the reader to understand their actions, beliefs and the settings within which the work is set. For instance, the reader might be interested in understanding the character of Hu, who refuses to learn French even after moving to France with the Father. One might question why Hu would preach to the French in Chinese and fail to translate Chinese texts for Foucquet (Spence, 1988). Questioning character traits as presented would advance the reader’s ability to understand the events and the relationship between the Chinese and French in the century. Therefore, the book, which constructs the historicity of the past Chinese-French relationship as present and real, and performs the real as production, makes it essentially useful in studying the past.
Though The Question of Hu is fictional to a greater degree, it offers an understanding of the interaction between Jesuits and the local Chinese. The book covers the life of Hu and other Chinese in France, where they interact with people of different cultures and religious beliefs. In an attempt to bring out the events and lives of the characters, the author delves into historical material that reveal the relationship between Jesuits and local Chinese at the time (Mazlish, 1992, p. 143). Through the book, the reader can develop an understanding of the interaction between the groups.
Though Spence does not place the characters in their culture and specific times calculatingly, he presents their day-to-day interaction depicting their attitudes about each other. For instance, the relationship between the Father and local Chinese as presented in the book depicts the attitudes the Chinese had towards the French Jesuits and vice versa. Additionally, the interaction between Hu, other Jesuits and local Chinese depicts the relationship between the former and the locals. All notwithstanding, it is important to acknowledge that Spence does not offer an in-depth analysis of the interaction, but reading the book offers insight and arouses curiosity for further study of the interaction.
Jonathan Spence artistically knits historical facts into the book to bring out a better understanding of the major themes; culture, religion, and the East Asian and Western relationship. The integration of realistic and fictional characters and locale in The Question of Hu makes it a critical history study book. The main character Hu (John Hu or Hu Ruowang), was in a factual sense the first Chinese to travel to the West. Ruowang sailed from Guangdon China to France in 1722 (Jung, 2002, p. 2). According to Jung, Hu showed ‘strange behavior’, which made the Parisians commit him to a lunatic asylum where he remained from 1723 to 1726 (Jung, 2002, p. 2). The reader must question whether Hu was mad or his foreign behavior seemed like madness to the French, who were used to a certain way of life. Therefore, the book creates a ground for a better understanding of the relationship between the French and the Chinese.
In analyzing The Question of Hu, it remains evident that it plays a critical in triggering thought and the development of analytic and close reading skills. These skills are essential to understanding the past, in this case, the study of the Chinese-French relationship in the early eighteenth-century. Therefore, even when Mazlish views a room for speculation as a negative, its application in studying history is critical for developing curiosity and thought (Mazlish, 1992, p. 146).
The way Spence presents the issue of intercultural misunderstanding through the character of Hu enables the reader to understand the relationship between the Chinese and the French. Hu finds offense in women strolling openly even in church and interacting freely with men. That this was not a norm in China, the character finds it difficult to understand and, therefore, makes a drum and a flag with Chinese writings that translated to “Men and women should be put in their private spheres” (Mazlish, 1992, p. 147). That the intended audience is French leads the reader to question whether Hu was mad or just disdained the French. Moreover, in addressing the St. Paul’s Church, Hu uses Chinese in a congregation of French people who listen attentively even though they do not understand (Mazlish, 1992, p. 147). Such scenarios assist in explaining the relationship between the two sides.
Conclusion
An analysis of the “The Question of Hu” presents the book as a historical fiction. The book incorporates aspects of a historical narrative and covers different historical issues. Therefore, it contradicts Mazlish’s argument that it does not meet the requirements of a historical narrative. That it does not cover history to the extent Mazlish expects does not make it just ‘an engrossing story’ and a lesser historical narrative.
Jonathan Spence manages to outline the relationship between East Asia and Europe. The relationship between local Chinese and Jesuits, the interaction of Hu, the Father, and other French people serves an important role in explaining the culture, beliefs and the relations between China and France. Moreover, the level of scholarship in the writing and the attention given to history and historical events depicts a book that can be used to enhance the study of the past. As such, through The Question of Hu the reader can effectively construct and understand the history of the cultures, actions and beliefs of people from both China and France. Therefore, it cannot only be dismissed as mere fiction but one that recounts history and is essential for studying the past.
References
Jung, H. Y. (2002). Comparative political culture in the age of globalization: An introductory anthology. Lexington Books.
Mazlish, B. (1992). The question of The Question of Hu. History and Theory 31 (2), 143-152.
Spence, J. D. (1988). The Question of Hu. Vintage Books.
Wilson, K. (2011). Re-visioning historical fiction for young readers: The past through modern eyes. Routledge.