Abstract: As a Chinese Christian who settled in France, Arcade Huang brought his reflections and observations from the East to Europe, engaging in deep intellectual exchanges with Enlightenment thinkers such as Montesquieu. During his time in France, he criticized the formalization of traditional Chinese rituals and the deification of Confucius, believing that these customs were marked by superstition and stood in opposition to Christian spiritual values. Huang’s views offered early French Sinology a critical perspective that differed from the Sinophilic school, influencing French Enlightenment thinkers’ perceptions of China, particularly reinforcing Montesquieu’s critiques of China’s autocratic state and ritual culture. Through his interactions with French scholars, Huang became a key figure in Sino-French cultural exchanges, leaving a lasting impact on the development of French Sinology.

Keywords: Arcade Huang, anti-traditionalism, early French Sinology, perceptions of China, Montesquieu