Jaroslav Průšek

Who is Jaroslav Průšek?

Jaroslav Průšek was a Czech sinologist. He was considered as the founder of the Prague School of Sinology, and one of the greatest world Sinologists of his time.

At first, he studied the history of ancient Greece, Byzantium and Roman Empire in Charles University. After graduation from Charles University, he went to Germany and Sweden and became the student of Bernard Karlgren. He was sent to China and Japan in 1930s, and he had made friends with many Chinese intellectuals, including Lu Xun. He went back to Czechoslovakia in 1937. In 1952, he was appointed as the leader of Institute of East Asian Studies of Charles University.