City of Light

Author: Yang Min et al
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-11-01
Features: The City of Light is a recently discovered and published book. The entire work spans over 300,000 words, recounting the journey and experiences of an Italian Jewish merchant, Jacob, who traveled by sea to the "City of Light," also known as Quanzhou, for business between 1271 and 1272. The descriptions in the book cover all aspects of Quanzhou's social life. Its content is far richer than that of other Western travel accounts from the same era. If the book's content is authentic, it will undoubtedly contribute to the study of Quanzhou's history, as well as the history of the Southern Song Dynasty and even the history of China's maritime trade. Since its organization, translation, and publication, the book has sparked discussion in the field of Sinology in Europe and America. Interest in the book among Chinese scholars has also begun to grow.