Imaginary Constructs: Early European Accounts of Chinese Architecture

Abstract

The expeditions of missionaries and explorers represent a critical juncture in Europe’s early engagement with China, particularly through their detailed observations of Chinese architecture. Their narratives, once translated and disseminated across Europe, not only molded European stereotypes of China but also contributed motifs that influenced Chinoiserie architecture in the 18th century. This article focuses on architectural details found in four seminal and widely circulated European accounts of China from the 16th to 17th centuries: The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof by Fray Juan González de Mendoza; The History of that Great and Renowned Monarchy of China Wherein All the Particular Provinces are Accurately Described by Álvarez de Semedo; An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China by Johan Nieuhof; and China Illustrata by Athanasius Kircher. By analyzing the formal descriptions, evaluative commentary, and accompanying illustrations, this study seeks to elucidate how Chinese architecture was first perceived, interpreted, and understood in the context of early modern Europe.