RECALLING his decision in the 1970s to learn Chinese, considered perhaps unusual at that time, Joël Bellassen, now Inspector-General of Chinese Language Teaching at France’s Ministry of Education (Inspecteur général de chinois), remarks that many people were astonished by his choice, since it was not out of self-interest but out of conviction.

Joël Bellassen’s legendary life parallels the progress in bilateral relations between China and France. He was among the first batch of students sent to China after the establishment of diplomatic relations. On graduation, he became France’s first Chinese-language teacher at the kindergarten and primary school level. He was appointed as the very first Inspector-General of Chinese language teaching in 2006. Joël has since devoted himself to promoting Chinese language learning in France.

Joël Bellassen in the Chinese countryside in the 1970s.

Attracted from Afar by the Mysteries of Chinese Language

Back in 1970, Joël Bellassen was a philosophy student. Diplomatic relations between the two countries had already been established, but Joël had no idea about Chinese culture, let alone any contact with Chinese studies. For him, China was as distant as the moon. 

During his second year doing his MA, France’s higher education underwent reforms – and selecting a minor became a prerequisite for all students. Joël first chose Spanish, but quickly found that, being so close to French, it held no surprises for him. The Chinese written characters he frequently noticed on the door of the Chinese Department lured him, and he switched to learning Chinese. 

In 1970s France, or even the whole Europe, learning Chinese provided few job opportunities. China had not opened its doors to the outside world, so study or travel in China was also still quite difficult.  

Joël recalled, “It may seem a little strange that I chose to learn Chinese. But if you were familiar with the attraction of China’s image, along with my personality, you would see it as a natural choice. China, like France, is a very ancient country with a long history . Both value their historical records and cultural heritage. French people pay great respect to countries with history. It was in this frame of mind that I started to learn this remote language.”