The microfiche edition German Books on China concerns itself with independent German-language publications on China. It includes hundreds of full-text titles, some of which are very rare, und makes them available for research purposes. The works document the way in which the German image of China changed between the end of the 15th Century and the beginning of the 20th Century. The first part to appear with 341 titles is on the history of China. It includes reports of personal experiences, travel reports of historical importance, manuals on and summaries of the history of China, articles on individual dynasties, rulers and everyday issues, description of coins, and military writings. This specialist library of German Sino historiography testifies to the century-long fascination that this country held for Germany and Europe since the Jesuit's China mission, and provides a unique insight into German-Chinese relations.
Mirko Vonderstein