Project Gutenberg
2020-05-23
Public domain in the USA.
174
Swazey, John B.
Swasey, John B.
Ah-Chin-Le
Smythe, John Yester
03002588
Some Observations Upon the Civilization of the Western Barbarians, Particularly of the English
made during the residence of some years in those parts.
Produced by Brian Coe, Graeme Mackreth and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by the Library of Congress)
"Some Observations Upon the Civilization of the Western Barbarians, Particularly of the English" by Ah-Chin-Le is a historical account written in the late 19th century. The text stands as a curious examination of Western society from the perspective of a Chinese mandarin, focusing particularly on English culture, religion, and social structures as seen from the outside. It engages with themes of civilization, superstition, and morality, aiming to present a critical yet insightful view of the perceived 'barbarism' of Western practices. The opening of the work introduces Ah-Chin-Le, who articulately recounts his mission and observations made during his residence in England, commissioned by the Chinese imperial court. He begins by discussing the religion and superstitions held by the English, critiquing their beliefs while contrasting them with Chinese values. The text's style oscillates between a scholarly report on English customs and a satirical commentary on their moral failings, exploring the conflicts within Christian sects and the societal implications of their differing beliefs. Ah-Chin-Le’s reflections reveal not just observations of Western practices, but also a broader philosophical consideration of civilization and its many contradictions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 64.1 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
en
England -- Social life and customs
DA
Text
Category: History - British
Category: History - European
Category: Philosophy & Ethics
554677
2025-07-24T14:18:14.655470
text/html
540114
2024-10-18T03:34:24
text/html
250623
2025-07-24T14:18:22.936879
application/epub+zip
254785
2025-07-24T14:18:15.840398
application/epub+zip
254785
2025-07-24T14:18:15.240445
application/epub+zip
425176
2025-07-24T14:18:27.946880
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
369516
2025-07-24T14:18:22.010373
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
357151
2022-09-28T04:25:47.322204
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
503037
2025-07-24T14:18:13.646433
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
482912
2024-10-18T03:34:24
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
16543
2025-07-24T14:18:28.103861
application/rdf+xml
12184
2025-07-24T14:18:15.333400
image/jpeg
2080
2025-07-24T14:18:15.287454
image/jpeg
233992
2025-07-24T14:18:14.702435
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog