The philosophes of the Enlightenment made use of a vague enthusiasm for things oriental to support their critique of contemporary society, and the imperialist powers later relied on "old China hands" to maintain a grip on their concessions and interests. It has only been during the present century that sinological institutes have finally trans-formed themselves from cradles for turning out colonial officials to true centers of academic research.
啟蒙時代，哲學家們用模糊的「東方熱」來支持他們對歐洲文化的批判；殖民時代，帝國主義則又用「中國通」來維持對殖民地的管理和運用；百年下來，漢學院終於由「殖民官搖籃」，成為真正的學術中心。