The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof, Issue 15

Book excerpt: Originally published in 1585, 'The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China' was one of the earliest European accounts of China. Written by the Spanish missionary Juan González de Mendoza, the book provides a detailed description of Chinese society and culture, as well as insights into the country's history and politics. This edition includes a new introduction by historian Anthony Grafton, which situates the work within the broader context of European attitudes towards China during the Renaissance. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.