ABSTRACT
Regardless of the venue – in a cab, at a restaurant or bar, at a meeting, in conversation across the spectrum from high-level officials to villagers and farm folk alike – a surprisingly high number of people in China will have heard about “Jews” (Chinese: yutairen). Most will respond that “the Jews” are clever and good at business, and that these attributes are good. Generally, Jewish people are respected. There are few negative things said; and, if anything, it is usually surrounding the Israeli-Arab conflict, with the differences between Jews and Israelis blurred and confused. On occasion, observations that echo Christian/European sentiments are expressed; but, for the most part, the cultural and theological underpinnings of European anti-Semitism are not understood, have no appeal, and do not resonate within Chinese culture.
