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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
Account of a Voyage to India, China and &c. in His Majesty's Ship Caroline, Performed in the Years 1803-4-5, interspersed with Descriptive Sketches and Cursory Remarks An Officer of The Caroline 1806
Account of the Empire of China, Historical, Political, Moral and Religious: A Short Description of that Empire and Notable Examples of Its Emperors and Ministers, An Navarrete, Domingo Fernandez de 1732
Ancient Accounts of India and China By Two Mohammedan Travellers: Who Went to Those Parts in the Ninth Century Translated From the Arabic Renaudot, Eusebius (tr.) 1733
Annales de La Propagation de La Foi. Recueil Periodique, Des Lettres Des Eveques et Des Missionnaires Des Missions Des Deux Mondes. (Collection faisant suite aux Lettres Edifiantes) Vol. 10, ## 54 to 59 - 1837
Annales de La Propagation de La Foi. Recueil Periodique, Des Lettres Des Eveques et Des Missionnaires Des Missions Des Deux Mondes. (Collection faisant suite aux Lettres Edifiantes) Vol. 12, ## 68 to 70 - 1840
Authentic Account of An Embassy from The King of Great Britain to The Emperor of China, An (Vol. I.) Staunton, George 1798
Authentic Account of An Embassy from The King of Great Britain to The Emperor of China, An (Vol. II.) Staunton, George 1798
Authentic Account of An Embassy from The King of Great Britain to The Emperor of China, An (Vol. III.) Staunton, George 1798
Book of Ser Marco Polo Ye Venetian Concerning Ye Kingdoms of Ye East. Newly done into English by Henry Yule. Second edition, revised with the additions of new matter and many new illustrations - Vol.I. [Definitive English edition by Henry Yule] Polo, Marco & Yule, Henry (tr.) 1875
Book of Ser Marco Polo Ye Venetian Concerning Ye Kingdoms of Ye East. Newly done into English by Henry Yule. Second edition, revised with the additions of new matter and many new illustrations - Vol.II. [Definitive English edition by Henry Yule] Polo, Marco & Yule, Henry (tr.) 1875
China Monumentis Qua Sacris qua Profanis, nec non variis naturae et artis spectaculis, aliarumque rerum memorabilium argumentis illustrate Kircher, Athanasius 1667
China, in a Series of Views, Displaying the Scenery, Architecture, and Social Habits, of That Ancient Empire (Vol. I. II. III. IV.) Allom, Thomas & Wright, G. N. 1843
Confucius sinarum philosophus, sive scientia sinensis latine exposita Intorcetta, Prospero & Herdrich, Christian Wolfgang & Rougemont, Francois de, & Couplet, Philippe 1687
De bello Tartarico historia Martini, Martino 1655
De Christiana expeditione apud Sinas Suscepta ab Societate Jesu Trigault, Nicolas & Ricci, Matteo 1616
Dell'Historia della China Mendoza, Juan Gonzalez de 1588
Description Generale de la Chine - Tome Premier Grosier, Jean Baptiste 1787
Description Generale de la Chine - Tome Second Grosier, Jean Baptiste 1787
Description of the Plan of Pekin, The Capital of China (from Philosophical Transactions, Giving Some Account of the Present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours, of the Ingenious, in many Considerable Parts of the World - Vol. L. Part II. for the Year 1758) Gaubil, Antoine 1759
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?

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