The fifth volume of Dr Needham's immense undertaking, like the fourth, is subdivided into parts for ease of assimilation and presentation, each part bound and published separately. The volume as a whole covers the subjects of alchemy, early chemistry, and chemical technology (which includes military invention, especially gunpowder and rockets; paper and printing; textiles; mining and metallurgy; the salt industry; and ceramics).

List of illustrations; List of tables; List of abbreviations; Acknowledgements; Author's note; 33. Alchemy and chemistry (continued); Bibliographies; General index.