One of the things I love about the web as a modern research tool is the sheer diversity of ancillary interests you come across... I widened my search criteria to explore concepts such as "gentleman scholar" and found these sidenotes on history:

http://newsdesk.si.edu/NewsReleases/opa_smithson_letter_04_366.pdf
http://thedorsetpage.com/locations/Place/C370.htm

I also found all sorts of interesting stuff about Confucian ideals; and whilst I have no knowledge of the underlying language, it would seem the idea of 'gentleman' is one that is far from only occidental:

http://www.artmuseums.harvard.edu/exhibitions/sackler/botanicalmotifs.html