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Long before TBC began its mission to educate the West about China, western countries first learned about China from early writings of Jesuit missionaries, merchants, and diplomats.

The TBC Library of Chinese Studies has obtained several original copies of these works in the collection: “How the West Learned of China”. This collection dates from 1588 until 1840 (with a few later exceptions).

For the majority of the works in the list, click on the title to view a photo, a description of the work, and a brief biography of the author. You can filter the list by clicking on title, author, or date.

Title Author's Name Year
Dell'Historia della China Mendoza, Juan Gonzalez de 1588
Litterae Societatis Jesu e regno Sinarum annorum MDCX & MDCXI Trigautio, Nicolao 1615
De Christiana expeditione apud Sinas Suscepta ab Societate Jesu Trigault, Nicolas & Ricci, Matteo 1616
Lettere del Tibet dell'Anno MDCXXVI, and Lettera della Cina dell'Anno MDCXXIV published together in Lettere annue del Tibet 1626, e della Cina 1624 Andrade, Antonio & Kirwitzer, Vaclav Pantaleon (Vinceslao Pantaleone) 1628
Regni Chinensis Descriptio Ex Varijs Authoribus Trigault, Nicolas 1639
De bello Tartarico historia Martini, Martino 1655
Novus Atlas Sinensis Martini, Martino 1655
Sinicae Historiae Decas prima, Res a Gentis origine ad Christum natum in extrema Asia, sive Magno Sinarum Imperio gestas complexa Martini, Martino 1659
Het Gezantschap Der Neerlandtsche Oost-In-dische Compagnie, Aan Den Grooten Tartarischen Cham, Den tegenwoordigen Keizer van China (The Embassy of the Dutch East Indian Company to the Great Tartar Chan The Present Emperor of China) Nieuhof, Joan 1666
China Monumentis Qua Sacris qua Profanis, nec non variis naturae et artis spectaculis, aliarumque rerum memorabilium argumentis illustrate Kircher, Athanasius 1667
Historical Essay Endeavoring a Probability that the Language of the Empire of China is the Primitive Language, An Webb, John 1669
Embassy from the East India Company of the United Provinces to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperor of China, An Nieuhof, Joan & Ogilby, John 1669 200?
Gedenkwaerdig bedryf der Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Maetschappye op de Kuste en in het Keizerrijk van Tasing of Sina [Second & Third Embassies to the Empire of Taysing or China] Dapper, Olfert 1670
Historica Relatio de Ortu Progressu Fidei Orthodoxae in Regno Chinensi per Missionarios Societatis Jesu ab anno 1581 usque ad annum 1669 / Compendiosa narratione dello Stato della missione Cinese, cominciado dall’anno 1581 fino al 1669 Schall von Bell, Johann Adam & Intorcetta, Prospero 1672
Historia Tartaro-Sinica nova Rougemont, Francois de 1673
Confucius sinarum philosophus, sive scientia sinensis latine exposita Intorcetta, Prospero & Herdrich, Christian Wolfgang & Rougemont, Francois de, & Couplet, Philippe 1687
Nouvelle Relation de la Chine, contenant la description des particularitez les plus considerables de ce grand empire Magalhaes, Gabriel de 1688
La Vie Du Pere Matthieu Ricci, De La Compagnie de Jesus le Pere L’Orleans de la mesme Compagnie 1693
Memoirs and Observations, Topographical, Physical, Mathematical, Mechanical, Natural, Civil, and Ecclesiastical. Made in a Late Journey Through the Empire of China and Published in Several Letters LeComte, Louis 1698
Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, Ecrites des Missions Etrangeres, par quelques Missinnaires de la Compagnie de Jesus.Vol I & II [Second ed.,Original] 1717

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