The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof, Volume 1 (of 2)

This volume brings listeners an uncommon English translation of Mendoza’s mid‑sixteenth‑century survey of China, freshly reissued by the Hakluyt Society. The editor’s note explains the careful preservation of original spelling and special characters, while also setting the work within the long line of European attempts to describe a land that felt both distant and astonishingly advanced.

Within the narrative, Mendoza records the everyday customs, court rituals, and bustling marketplaces of a civilization that astonished early travelers. He offers striking details about dress, architecture, language and the complex tributary system that linked the empire to its neighbours. The account is peppered with observations on agriculture, maritime trade, and the scholarly pursuits that set China apart from contemporary societies, providing a vivid snapshot of a world just beginning to be mapped by Western eyes.

A concise scholarly introduction frames the text, outlining earlier, fragmentary reports and explaining why this detailed description marks a turning point in the geography of the age. Listeners will gain a clear sense of how early modern Europe first began to grasp China’s vast cultural landscape.