The question M. Perelman raised, whether or not one can talk about an 
actual influence of Chinese (Confucian) thought in the economics of 
Quesnay, is a tricky one. Judging from close readings of his 
references of China, it seems not only a "ruse" though. Quesnay was - 
as Voltaire, Bayle and so many others in th 18th century - an actual 
admirer of many Chinese policies and thought many of them could be 
applied more or less directly in Europe (as opposed to Montesquieu 
who also discussed the question).
Proving beyond doubt that some of Quesnays original contributions can 
be traced to China isn't easy though. It can be seen in his texts 
that he was aware of China at least from the middle of the 1750's. 
This is also the time he started turning to economics, but it wasn't 
until the 1760's that he, and other leading physiocrats, started to 
use the example of and the Chinese empire specifically and alluding 
to Chinese thought in general when laying out physiocratic theory. If 
it is not too immodest to mention: I am currently working on a paper 
on this very topic, of which I will give a presentation at the ESHET 
annual conference in April.

Stefan G. Jacobsen