China.- Ricci (Matteo) Entrata nella China de'Padri della Compagnia del Gesu, edited by Nicolas Trigault, translated by Antonio Sozzini, first Italian edition, title within engraved architectural border, woodcut initials, title with contemporary ink inscription to foot and slightly frayed at edges, light foxing, some leaves browned and water-stained, wormhole to last few leaves just touching text, final leaf with short wormtrack affecting text and lacking small portion from lower margin, contemporary vellum, red roan label, a little rubbed and spotted, [Cordier BS, 810-11; Löwendahl 64; Morrison II p. 428; USTC 4008419], small 4to, Naples, Lazzaro Scoriggio, [1622].

⁂ The most influential firsthand account of China since Marco Polo, by Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), the celebrated pioneer Jesuit missionary to China. Due to his keen interest in Chinese society and culture he was the first foreigner to begin to understand how Confucianism was integrally woven into Chinese society, one of the largest differentiators of China from South Asia, and aligned Christianity with Confucian teachings in his attempts at conversion. After his death there in 1610 Ricci's Italian journals were translated and edited for publication by Nicolas Trigault, another member of the mission. China had closed itself off from the West after Marco Polo's journeys in the 13th century and Ricci's work revived interest in the country, with further editions and translations appearing in the following years although a complete English translation was not published until 1953.