author
Joseph Dautremer
1860–1946
A French diplomat and traveler with a deep knowledge of East Asia, he wrote vividly about Japan at a time when the country was changing fast. His books bring together first-hand observation, language study, and a strong curiosity about the wider world.
2 Audiobooks
La grande artère de la Chine: le Yangtseu
by Joseph Dautremer
L'Empire Japonais et sa vie économique
by Joseph Dautremer
About the author
Born in Woimbey, France, in 1860, Joseph Dautremer became a French diplomat, traveler, and writer whose work focused especially on Japan and East Asia. He served as a consul and was also connected with the study and teaching of Asian languages and cultures, building a reputation as a specialist in Japanese civilization.
His writing reflects both official experience and personal curiosity. He is known for works such as L'Empire japonais et sa vie économique and for reference works on the Japanese language, including a Japanese-French dictionary of Chinese characters. These books helped French readers understand Japan not just as a distant country, but as a society with its own history, economy, and intellectual traditions.
Dautremer died in 1946. Today, he is remembered as one of those early French authors who tried to explain Japan carefully and seriously to a Western audience, combining travel, scholarship, and public service in the same career.