Based on the contributions of the aesthetics of reception and effect, particularly from authors such as Hans Robert Jauss and Wolfgang Iser, the present article focuses on the reception of José Saramago in Chinese academic criticism. Through the collection and analysis of 39 academic works (published in journals, conference proceedings, and dissertations) about José Saramago and his works translated into China, we aim to know the interpretations of Chinese scholars about Saramago’s creation, observe the trend of study regarding this Portuguese writer, to verify which works have been most analyzed and the dominant perspectives of analysis in the Chinese academic field. This is, therefore, an introductory and seminal study that aims to open the way to future works on the presence of this great Portuguese-speaking writer in China.