To a beginner, geography and Chinese studies may seem like two completely separate parts of academia. Geography or "geographia" translated from Ancient Greek to "description of the earth" has been used since 276 BC and formed the basis for today's modern geography classified by human geography; the study of places, the space they occupy, the environment in which they are found and the human implications caused by this (Gregory, D. et al. eds 2009 The Dictionary Of Human Geography). The other Physical Geography; is the characterization and explanation of geological, hydrological, biological, and atmospheric phenomena and their interactions on or near the Earth's surface. (Gregory, D. et al. eds 2009 The Dictionary of Human Geography). Compared to geography, contemporary Chinese studies is a newborn subject in academia, having only been properly taught in universities since the 1980s, compared to geography which became a discipline in the 1820s. Due to the age of the foundations, the definition of the topic always changes rapidly, but it could be considered as undertaking and promoting advanced and interdisciplinary social science research on key aspects of rapid changes in China (China Governance and Politics) . Considering this, one might consider that the presentation, teaching style and academic staff involved in the development and teaching of these subjects would differ considerably, as would the nature of the subjects and what they entail. These questions will be the basis of this article along with the exploration, contrast and comparison of these academic subjects. The origins of both geography and Chinese studies underlie its academic recognition. For most people, Geography means knowing where to put......middle of the paper...everything in the new human geography research. In conclusion, are academic geography and Chinese studies similar? 'When things come close or happen now, our mind is useless' This warning from Dante's Inferno reminds us how close everything is and making a clear and definite decision is always difficult. Geography and Chinese studies are both subjects in their own right. Since geography is so broad and used by many, it has both physical and human aspects. Only the human aspects of geography really overlap with Chinese studies, which in turn allows them to be compared. On the other hand, physical geography, a larger and more respected subject, has no role to play in the arena of Chinese studies. So, yes, academic geography and Chinese studies are similar; but not the same. They are partners in a growing academic world and work well together, but they could never be a single entity.