History of China

China Library - listed by author (or by title, if no author)

Aikman, David: Jesus in Beijing (formerly called "The Beijing Factor") *****

Aylward, Gladys: The Little Woman. The true story behind the movie "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" *****

Benge, Janet & Geoff: (all their books very easy to read & most inspiring)
- Eric Liddell (1924 Paris Gold Medallist, as in Chariots of Fire. Born in China, studied in UK, returned to China as missionary, died
in Japanese POW camp) ***** (review of Nov 8, 2012)
- Gladys Aylward ("The Little Woman" as in movie "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness") *****
- Hudson Taylor (founder of China Inland Mission..... Protestantism's Matteo Ricci) *****
- Jonathan Goforth (most courageous pioneer Canadian missionary) *****
- Lottie Moon (most courageous pioneer USA missionary) *****

Brockey, Liam Matthew: Journey to the East - the Jesuit Mission to China 1579 - 1724 *****
Must read for any foreigner wanting to work in China. See summary article by Fr Hugh McMahon SSC

Buck, Pearl
***** The Good Earth (1931). Buck was born in USA but spent a lot of time in China where her parents were Southern Baptist missionaries

Charbonnier, Jean-Pierre: Christians in China AD 600 - 2000. *** Lots of facts, but not easy to read. "Christians" in this book means "Catholics" for 90% of the pages. One interesting point: "Nestorians" of AD 635 should be described as "Syrian Christians"

ChinaSoul.org - at this link The Cross - Jesus in China can be accessed free. Powerful, moving, brilliant, beautiful!

Cronin, Vincent: The Wise Man From The West. Matteo Ricci and his mission to China. ***** "must read"
Of all the books written about Matteo Ricci in China, Vincent Cronin's "Wise Man From the West" is still the easiest to read.

Vincent Cronin's father was A. J. Cronin, author of The Keys of the Kingdom, (made into a movie of the same name - free on YouTube here). Love for China is in the family's veins.
As is good English. Both books are a pleasure to read just for their beautiful English.

"Wise Man" traces Ricci's path from birth in Italy, to study in India, to arrival in Macau, to stays in Zhaoqing, Shaoguan, Nanchang, Nanging and finally Beijing where he died in 1610.

The book shows how Ricci was a Renaissance scholar in the best sense, open to and respectful of other people's ideas and beliefs, becoming the first bridge person between Chinese and Western culture.

Cronin describes how as a missionary Ricci was centuries ahead of his time, promoting the genuine culturalization of Christianity in China.
A timeless book, in timeless English, most relevant for our time when contact between China and the rest of the world continues to grow.

See also Vincent Cronin's Oct 19, 2008 letter to John W

Hancock, Christopher: Robert Morrison and the Birth of Chinese Protestantism. Morrison arrived in China in 1807, produced the first Protestant Chinese Bible and laid the foundation for the Chinese Protestant Church. He died in 1834 and is buried in Macau in the Protestant Cemetery. *****

Harney, Alexandra - The China Price (2008) ***

Hattaway, Paul: All of Paul Hattaway's books below are reviewed here
- The Heavenly Man (2002). The true story of Brother Yun. *****
- Project Pearl (2007). With Brother David - how one million Bibles were smuggled into China in 1981. *****
- China's Book of Martyrs AD 854 to 2006. (2007). Since 1900, more Christians have died for their faith in China than in all other countries combined. See my special review Book has accounts of one local martyr from Zhaoqing, hundreds from other parts of China, hundreds from Europe and North America, 5 from Australia. *****
- Living Water. With Brother Yun. (2008) *****
- Henan, The Galilee of China (2009). Henen is the center of China's Christian revival, but great growth has been accompanied by great persecution. *****

Hudson Taylor (Christian Movie Classics) A simple presentation of a giant in China's history ****

Laurent, Bob: Watchman Nee, Man of Suffering (see the beautiful reviews at this link) *****

Laven, Mary: Mission to China - Matteo Ricci and the Jesuit Encounter with the East * (click this link for review)

Lee, John: Will China Fail? (2008) ****

Lin Yutang: *** My Country My People (1935) - one of the most important studies ever written about the Chinese mind and character

Macau Ricci Institute: Portrait of a Jesuit, Matteo Ricci (2010) ****

Marsden, William: The Travels of Marco Polo (1997) *****

Martini, Martino s.j., A Humanist and Scientist in 17th Century. Papers from Martini Symposium, Beijing, 1994.
Shows how Martini continued the work of Matteo Ricci. *****

Menzies, Gavin
1421 & 1434 ***** Menzies argues that Chinese fleets circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan, reached America seventy years before Columbus, Australia three hundred and fifty years before Cook, and ignited the European Rennasaince. Hard to put them down....like a thrilling detective story. UPDATE APRIL 2010: To my shame I must admit I have been duped: THESE TWO BOOKS ARE RUBBISH, FROM THE SAME PUBLISHING FIRM AS "THE DA VINCI CODE" - see this Four Corners documentary, especially the program's transcript!

Northcott, Cecil: Star Over Gobi - The Story of Mildred Cable ****

O'Neill, Mark: Frederick - The Life of My Missionary Grandfather in Manchuria **** - see review at this link

Paul Hsu Kuang Chi - illustrated biography in Chinese *****

Pollock, John:
- Hudson & Maria: Pioneers in China (1996) - must read for any foreigner wanting to work in China *****
- Hudson Taylor & Maria, a match made in Heaven (2004) *****
- The Cambridge Seven - how seven Cambridge dons, including one of England's most famous cricketers, gave up everything for work in China ***

Reid, Struan: ***** Marco Polo. Excellent summary of MP's life, in Chinese and English

Ricci, Matteo: The Journals of Matteo Ricci 1583 - 1610, translated into English by Louis J. Gallagher s.j.
Ricci's own account of the planting of the China Mission. *****
(For many books and articles about Ricci, see www.riccicenter.com )

Ross, Andrew C: A Vision Betrayed - The Jesuits in Japan and China, 1542 - 1742. "Must read". *****

Seagrave, Sterling:
***** Dragon Lady (1993) - a must for anyone wanting to understand events around time of Boxer Rebellion.
Shows how popular understanding of Siege of Peking is 90% fiction
***** The Soong Dynasty -(1986) a must for anyone wanting to understand 20th century China

Spence, Jonathan
*** The Death of Woman Wang (1977). Most interesting historical reconstruction
***** To Change China: Western Advisers in China (1980) - must read for any foreigner wanting to work in China
*** The Gate of Heavenly Peace - The Chinese and Their Revolution (1981)
***** Emperor of China: Self-portrait of K'ang Hsi (1988) what an enlightened leader.......Plato's Philosopher-King
**** The Question of Hu (1989) - an embarrassing book if you happen to be a foreigner and a priest
*** The Chan's Great Continent (1998). *** How the West has understood China over 7 centuries
*** The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci (c. 2001) not easy to read, but useful for studying Ricci

Taylor, Dr & Mrs Howard: Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret (2008. First published 1932).
By Hudson's son and son's wife. The spiritual side of Hudson's 5 decades in China. A classic indeed *****

Taylor, Geraldine (daughter-in-law of Hudson Taylor): Pastor Hsi (this edition 2005) ***** Second last chapter of Pastor Hsi

Tong, Bishop John (now Cardinal) of HK: Challenges and Hopes - Stories frm the Catholic Church in China (1999) ****

The Painted Veil - a beautiful movie, set in a troubled China ****

The Year of the Yao - documentary about China's most famous basketballer, Yao Ming ***

Wiltshire, Trea: -Encounters with China ***** (many historical photos)
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Miscellaneous internet articles to 2009