What was the perception of China like in the bulk of the 20th, if not into the 21st, century?

This excerpt from Episode 202 - Conflict Follows Trade sets the stage for the rest of the series. The perception of China by the outside world was based mostly on artwork: porcelain pots seemingly depicting everyday life, fanciful literature, because accurate information was in very short supply, and this initial perception continues to affect international relations today.