Title: Compilation of Historical Materials on Sino - Western Communications (5 Vols.)

Compiler and Annotator: Zhang Xinglang

Publisher: Sino-Culture Press

Edition: First Edition, August 2018

Format: 16 - mo, Soft - bound Hardcover

Printed Sheets: 116

Word Count: 1,150,000 words

ISBN: 9787507548815

Price: 248.00 CNY

Zhang Xinglang's Compilation of Historical Materials on Sino - Western Communications compiles a large amount of materials related to the history of Sino - foreign relations from numerous Chinese and foreign classics. These materials are classified by regions and countries, arranged in chronological order, and some place names and historical events are elaborately examined and explained. The book, with its extensive compilation of materials and rich content, has drawn the attention of the academic community and is a necessary reference for studying the history of Sino - Western communications. The whole book consists of five volumes and eight parts. The appendices in each chapter are the author's monographs on special topics, as well as textual research and annotations.

Zhang Xinglang (1881 - 1951), with the courtesy name Liangchen, was from Nanyuan, Chengxiang, Siyang County, Jiangsu Province. He was the son of Zhang Xiangwen, a famous geographer, and was a renowned historian in modern times. In 1919, Zhang Xinglang was employed as a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Peking University upon the invitation of Mr. Cai Yuanpei. At the same time, together with his father Zhang Xiangwen, he served as a special compiler at the Institute of National History Compilation of the university and was sent to Japan to investigate historical materials of the Republic of China. In 1926, he was hired as the director of the Institute of Chinese Studies at Xiamen University. He also successively served as a professor at institutions of higher learning such as Fu Jen Catholic University, Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, and Yenching University. Many accomplished historians at home and abroad were once taught by him. Besides teaching and compiling history, Zhang Xinglang continuously collected relevant historical materials on Sino - foreign relations. He successively translated two versions of The Travels of Marco Polo. After more than ten years of effort, he extracted relevant materials from 274 Chinese books, including official histories, unofficial histories, travelogues, anthologies, and notebooks, as well as 42 books in English, German, French, and Japanese. He expounded and verified various aspects, ranging from astronomy to geography, including ethnic groups, culture, science and technology, history, politics, economy, biology, and important historical figures. Finally, in 1926, he completed the first draft of Compilation of Historical Materials on Sino - Western Communications. In 1930, the book was officially published.

“This is a great publication in the publishing industry. The amount of materials related to Sino - Western interactions collected in this book is unparalleled among previous publications of this kind.”— Feng Chengjun

Volume 1

Preliminary Chapter: Sino - foreign Communications in Ancient Times / 0001

Chapter 1: Communications between Ancient China and Europe / 0087

Volume 2

Chapter 2: Communications between Ancient China and Africa / 0433

Chapter 3: Communications between Ancient China and Arabia / 0519

Volume 3

Chapter 4: Communications between Ancient China and Armenia / 0737

Chapter 5: Communications between Ancient China and Judea / 0761

Chapter 6: Communications between Ancient China and Iran / 0789

Volume 4

Chapter 7: Communications between Ancient China and Central Asia / 0995

Volume 5

Chapter 8: Communications between Ancient China and India / 1445