At that time Western things were viewed by the Chinese as "low class," but the Orient was viewed by Westerners as the "heavenly kingdom." Oriental products were seen as "heavenly objects," and Oriental culture as "heavenly culture."
當時西方的東西在中國眼中是「不堪入流」的；而東方在歐洲人眼中卻是「天朝大國」，視東方的產物為「天物」，稱東方文化為「天朝文化」。