Who were the main actors in propagating Christianity in China? Where did Christian communities settle? What discussions were held in China, concerning Christianity? These, and many other, questions are answered in this reference work, which is divided in a systematic part and analytical articles.
This handbook represents a true reference guide to the reception of Christianity in pre-1800 China. It presents to the reader, in comprehensive fashion, all current knowledge of Christianity in China, and guides him through the main Chinese and Western sources, bibliographies and archives.
The scope of the volume is broad and covers a wide range of topics, such as theology, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, cannon, botany, art, music, and more.

Nicolas Standaert, Ph.D. (1984) in Chinese Studies, University of Leiden, Lic.S. Theo. (1994) Fujen University, is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Catholic University Leuven. He has published extensively on Sino-Western cultural exchange in the seventeenth century.