[RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, CHINA.]
东教宗史记 [Dongjiao Zongshi Ji; ‘Orthodox Ecclesiastical History’].
Hankou, 1893.
Folio, ff. [1], 15, 158; printed on double leaves, with an unusual stylised calligraphic title-page, the Chinese characters given decorative elements reminiscent of Old Church Slavonic texts and manuscripts; a fine copy bound Chinese-style in the original red printed paper wrappers; later folding cloth box.
First edition of a summary of Russian Orthodox Church history for a Chinese audience, with a foreword by Archimandrite Innokenty (Ivan Figurovsky, 1863–1931), who was to be leader of the spiritual mission to Beijing from his arrival in 1897 until his death in 1931.
Innokenty acquired a vast mastery of the language during his long stay in China, compiling a Chinese-Russian dictionary in 1906; he was largely responsible for the complete revival of the Russian mission after its destruction in the Boxer Rebellion.
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