Description d’un plus Fameux temples des Chinois avec leurs Principales Idoles telles que la Figure en a ete Tiree sur les Lieux & Envoiee a Rome par le Pere Grubere Iesuite

A European interpretation of Chinese religion from the early 18th century.

“Description of the most famous temple of the Chinese with their Main Idols such as the Figure was taken on the Site & Sent to Rome by Jesuit Father Grubere.” – Approximate title translation.

This is an interesting overview of Chinese religious principles that incorporate elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The left image presents a pantheon of Chinese deities, including Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Pussa. The center shows a detailed view of a nine-floor ‘pyramid’ in the province of Fujian, while the right offers a comparison of Pussa to the Roman goddess Cybele.

The copperplate-engraved sheet was originally published in Paris as part of Henri Abraham Chatelain’s important Atlas Historique. This monumental seven-volume set was first issued in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720, but was re-printed in numerous in several subsequent editions until the late 1730s. The scholarly, but approachable, work was aimed at a broad audience, eager for new information during the Age of Enlightenment. The breadth of content offers a nuanced synthesis of geography, cosmography, history, religion, ethnology, and political science. The descriptive text (in French) and skillfully engraved maps, diagrams, and illustrations provide a fascinating window into the world of the early 18th century.