Peru introduced Chinese workers in the mid-19th century and became one of the earliest Latin American countries to accept Chinese immigrants. The study of Chinese immigrants began two years after Chinese workers entered Peru and continued into the 21st century, becoming the longest lasting field of Chinese studies in Peru. Since the 21st century, the number of researchers has increased dramatically, and the quantity and quality of their achievements have greatly improved, presenting new characteristics of specialization, depth, and diversity. The issue of Chinese immigration remains one of the most important areas in contemporary Peruvian Chinese studies.

1、 Research background

Introduced the origin of understanding China in Latin America, especially Peru, dating back to mid-19th century travelogues such as Bustamante's "Travels to the Old World". The "encounter" between Peru and China began in the mid-19th century, when Peru's economy was rapidly developing and in urgent need of labor. However, the late Qing government faced internal and external troubles, resulting in a large number of unemployed people in the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong. Supply and demand corresponded, triggering a "push-pull effect". In 1849, the Peruvian Congress passed the "Chinese Law" and officially began to introduce Chinese workers, opening the curtain for the wave of Chinese immigration to Peru. Peru's specialized national studies on China only began to emerge in the 1970s, and in the 21st century, a group of professional "New Sinology" scholars with Chinese study abroad experience emerged. An important component of Peruvian Chinese studies research is the study of Chinese immigration issues, but there is limited exploration of its development both domestically and internationally. This article will review the research on Chinese immigration conducted by Peruvian academia from 2000 to 2022, and deeply analyze the new characteristics of contemporary Peruvian academic research on Chinese immigration.

2、 Introduction to the Historical Research on Peruvian Chinese Immigration

Introduced the historical development of Peruvian Chinese immigration research from the 19th to the 20th century. In the mid-19th century, Peru's exploration of Chinese immigration was synchronized with the development of immigration history, resulting in seven research achievements that mainly focused on practical problems. For example, in 1851, "The Benefits that Chinese Immigration Can Provide to Peru" provided theoretical support for the introduction of Chinese workers. In the 1890s, Peruvian elites held a sharp attitude towards Chinese immigrants, but scholars such as Juan de Arona affirmed their contributions. In the 20th century, the number of researchers and achievements increased, and the academic and quality improved, but anti Chinese sentiment still dominated. In the 1940s and 1970s, Chinese scholars such as Emilio Zhou began to participate in research. After the 1970s, the quality of research further improved and important works emerged. Scholars began to specialize in Chinese immigration studies, such as Depuche and Rodriguez Pasto, the latter of whom was the scholar with the most achievements and the longest academic career in the field.

3、 The Basic Situation of Peruvian Chinese Immigration Research in the 21st Century

Since the 21st century, with the improvement of China's international status and the strengthening of Sino Peruvian relations, Peru's understanding and research enthusiasm towards China have been high. The field of Chinese immigration research has produced abundant results, with 94 scholars publishing 105 achievements, exceeding the total of the 19th and 20th centuries. The research format has also expanded from traditional academic monographs and papers to online publications. French female scholar Lawson Eileela has made outstanding contributions in the field of social research, focusing on topics such as women, religion, and family. Chinese scholar Chen Hanji examines the situation of Chinese immigrants in Latin America from a macro regional perspective, with Peruvian Chinese immigrants being his focus of attention. Chinese female scholars Casalino, Kopei, and Chubimuno respectively explore the process of Chinese immigrant groups integrating into Peru from the perspectives of diet, field research, and text analysis. Other Chinese scholars such as Chen Lu and Deng Rupeng, although not focusing on Chinese immigration as the core theme, have also explored the history of Chinese immigration and the lives of immigrant groups from literary, economic, and social perspectives. In the 21st century, Peruvian scholars began to pay attention to the power of groups. Chinese historian Chu Hui has made great achievements in collecting and interpreting the historical architecture of Chinese immigrants, and has promoted collective discussions in the academic community in the form of groups. He has published collections of papers titled "Peruvian Chinese Immigrants: Architecture, History, and Society" and "Dragon and Eagle: The Present and Past of Peruvian Chinese Immigrants", opening up a new model of collective achievements in the academic circle. Peruvian scholars have studied the traditional theme of immigration history and Chinese immigrant groups from different perspectives. On the one hand, they continue to conduct collective analysis based on the country as a unit. On the other hand, they attempt to narrow down the scope of analysis from a micro perspective to cities, bird droppings islands, and estates, and even to a specific family or even an immigrant. They use local chronicles, family history, and even the personal experiences of a Chinese immigrant to reflect the overall state of a group or even an era of Chinese immigrants in a point by point manner. Peruvian scholars are no longer confined to traditional themes and are beginning to explore new areas of focus, such as economics, society, literature, art, and public communication. The research on Chinese immigrants has been further deepened, and some "obscure" topics have received attention, such as funerals and burials, political history, and health.

4、 New Characteristics of Peruvian Chinese Immigration Research in the 21st Century

In the 21st century, Peru's research on Chinese immigration issues has shown new characteristics, including diversified research topics, diverse forms of publication of results, and diverse participants. The research topic has expanded from traditional sociology, history, and anthropology to focus on subjects such as women and ethnic Chinese, political parties, civil society organizations, as well as life details such as marriage, religion, identity recognition, and social integration, while opening up new fields. The form of publishing achievements has expanded from monographs and papers to collections of multiple scholars' monographs, specialized journals, and online new media platforms. The participants have expanded from scholars to individuals of different nationalities, bloodlines, and professions, including government officials, generals, estate owners, and Peruvian researchers with Chinese ancestry. These new features make Chinese immigration research a new means of cultural diplomacy, helping to promote traditional Chinese culture, shape China's national image, and promote cultural diplomacy between Peru, China, and even Latin America.

5、 Conclusion

The study of Chinese immigration in Peru is the oldest and most fruitful field of Chinese studies in the country. Since the 21st century, research in this field has shown a new trend of diversified content themes, achievement forms, and participants, which is consistent with the overall characteristics of Latin American Chinese studies research. The research content is gradually becoming specialized, in-depth, and diversified, and the relevance between academic research and reality is increasing. The results directly serve to solve practical problems and provide decision-making opinions. However, under the influence of pragmatism, the academic persistence is not high and needs attention and solutions. The study of Chinese immigrants in Peru is closely related to the country's Chinese, overseas Chinese, and Chinese resources. In the new era, it will continue to provide support for the study of Latin American Chinese studies, promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Peru.