MAGALHAENS Gabriel de Nouvelle relation de la Chine, contenant la description des particularitez les plus considerables de ce grand Empire. Traduite du Portugais.

Cordier, I, 36 ; Sommervogel, V, 308 ; Lust, Western books on China, 57 ; Lowendahl-von der Burg, China illustrata nova I, 189.

First edition of this major Jesuit account, written in Portuguese in 1668.

The original manuscript was brought back to Europe by Father Philippe Couplet in 1682; he presented it to Cardinal d’Estrée, who commissioned the French translation for this first edition from the Jesuit Father Étienne Bernou.

Gabriel de Magalhães (1610–1677) was sent on a mission to Ming-Qing China in 1640. He was initially a missionary in Sichuan province. After a long stay in Beijing, he became a protégé of Emperor Shunzhi and subsequently retained the favour of his successor, Kangxi.

In the tradition of Jesuit accounts of China, his work aims to inform and present Chinese civilisation in a favourable light. He describes political and administrative institutions, customs and traditions, religion and ritual practices, science, technology and natural curiosities, major cities and social organisation, and language: “In the chapter on the Chinese script and language (pp. 84–107), Magalhães’ treatment of Chinese phonetics was more detailed than that of Semedo, and he concluded this chapter with ‘what was probably the first presentation of a fragment of Chinese text to a European audience’. The fragment (on p. 103) consisted of sixteen characters taken from the opening lines of the Ta hsüch [Great Learning] […] Magalhães regarded these words of Confucius […] as eminently appropriate for explaining the task of the preacher of the Christian Gospel in China‘ (Mungello (1989), pp. 101–2) (Lowendahl-von der Burg).

’Bernou changed the title of Fr. Magalhães’s book [Doze excellencias de China], made cuts and enriched it with notes containing clarifications on points that required them, on the author’s life by Fr. Buglio [Magalhães’ companion for 36 years], and a map of Beijing, drawn up based on information provided by Magalhães. This map, in which our author had no part, differs greatly from those of Fathers Gaubil and du Halde.“ (Sommervogel).

Provenance: Old handwritten bookplates crossed out on the title page (including the Diocese of Laon); Mte Héry, notary (repeated stamp); F. Binehof (20th-century bookplate label on the inside front cover).

Scratches, scuff marks, a slightly crushed corner, a tear with a small section missing from the headpiece. Tiny marginal wormholes, a few foxing spots, stains, and minor tears in the paper.