Contents -- Preface -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Chapter One Backgrounds of Knowledge -- 1.1 Analyzing European Discourse(s) on China -- 1.2 Interactions between Europe and China -- 1.3 Ordering Knowledge on Non-European Regions -- 1.4 Exploring the History of Encyclopaedias-Current Trends -- 1.5 Encyclopaedias in Cross-cultural Perspective -- 1.6 European Encyclopaedias, 1700-1850 -- Chapter Two Formations of Knowledge -- 2.1 Knowledge from China: Chinese Sources for European Encyclopaedias -- 2.2 European Sources on China -- 2.3 Disseminating China: The Role of the European Republic of Letters -- 2.4 On the Authors of Entries on 'China' -- Chapter Three Canonizing China -- 3.1 Describing China: Structures of Entries on 'China' -- 3.2 Updating Information on China -- 3.3 Visualizing China: Knowledge in Plates, Diagrams and Tables -- 3.4 Explaining China: Comparisons with Europe and Other Parts of the World -- 3.5 Simplifying China: The Dissemination of Stereotypes -- Chapter Four Geography -- 4.1 Defining China: What's in a Name? -- 4.2 Extent, Boundaries and Political Geography -- 4.3 Natural Resources -- 4.4 China's Position in the World -- Chapter Five Population and Society -- 5.1 Origin of the Chinese -- 5.2 Chinese Society -- 5.3 Material Culture -- Chapter Six Government, Politics and Economy -- 6.1 The Administration of China -- 6.2 The Laws of China -- 6.3 The Armed Forces of the Qing Empire -- 6.4 Revenue and Money -- 6.5 Sino-Western Trade Relations -- Chapter Seven History -- 7.1 Classifying the Chinese Past -- 7.2 Chinese Chronology as a Challenge to European Scholarship -- 7.3 Encyclopaedic Visions of the Chinese Past -- 7.4 Ever-changing Contemporaries of China: Two Centuries of Latest Events -- 7.5 Chinese Personal Names -- 7.6 Historiography in China -- 7.7 Assessing the History of China.

Chapter Eight Language and Literature -- 8.1 Language and Writing -- 8.2 Chinese Literature -- Chapter Nine Philosophy and Religion -- 9.1 Chinese Philosophy -- 9.2 Popular Religion -- 9.3 Confucianism and the 'Ancient Religion' of the Chinese -- 9.4 Buddhism -- 9.5 Daoism -- 9.6 Christianity -- 9.7 Muslims and Jews -- Chapter Ten Arts, Sciences, and Technologies -- 10.1 Natural Sciences: Astronomy and Mathematics -- 10.2 Chinese Medicine -- 10.3 Architecture and Horticulture -- 10.4 Painting and Sculpture -- 10.5 Music -- 10.6 Agriculture -- 10.7 Chinese Inventions -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Encyclopaedias -- English -- French -- German -- Other works cited -- Index.