Histoire générale de la Chine, ou Annales de cet Empire; Traduites du Tong-Kien-Kang-Mou, par feu Père Joseph-Anne-Marie de Moyrac de Mailla, Jésuite françois, missionnaire à Pékin.., Ouvrage enrichi de figures et de nouvelles cartes géographiques de la Chine ancienne et moderne, levées par ordre du feu Empereur Kang-Hi, et gravées pour la première fois. [General History of China, or Annals of the Empire Translated from Tong Kien Kang Mou, by the late Father Joseph Anne Marie Moyriac Mailla, French Jesuit missionary in Beijing…, the work enriched with engravings and new maps of ancient and modern China…]. Paris: Pierres et Clousier, 1777-1783-1785. First Edition. Quarto, 13 vols…pp. cc, 349; [iv], 590; [xii], 588; [iv], 594; [viii], 564; [iv], 587; vii. 484; [iv[, 662; [iv], ii, 658; [iv], 579; [iv], 610; [xxiv], 348; [iv], 798.
With sixteen copper plates (one folding), 2 text copper engravings, five folding tables, and bound with two (of a possible three) folding maps which seems to be the case with some copies. Original publisher’s thick gray papered wrappers with one detached; spines chipped and worn with several missing completely. Uncut text on parchment in very good condition. Overall, this set is in a very original condition.
“Joseph Anne Marie Moyriac de Mailla drew extensively upon Chinese sources including Zhu Xi’s Tongjian Gangmu, the famous “Chinese Annals” in his Histoire Generale. The history of the Ming and Qing period, supplemented from more recent sources, is contained in vols. 10 & 11. The manuscript of this compilation came to France in 1737. With the abrogation of the Society of Jesus (Dominus ac Redemptor, 1773) it came into the hands of Grosier who had it published. Vol. 12 contains an alphabetical index to the work and three supplements”(China Illustrata Nova II 599); Cordier Sinica 583-5; Lust 409. The thirteenth volume, titled “Volume de Supplement, “was published in 1785 by Grosier, and was also published separately as “Description générale de la Chine..,”
MAILLA, Joseph Anne Marie Moyriac de (1669-1748) & Grosier, Jean Baptiste Gabriel Alexandre (1743-1823).
