Walter Medhust's 1872 book traces his personal impressions of nineteenth-century Chinese society. The author is determined to give a picture of the country and its inhabitants that is realistic and free of the tired cliches often found in contemporary Western accounts of the country. Medhurst engages with a wide spectrum of Chinese traditions and habits: looking at the characteristics of advertising and how Chinese newspapers are run; describing opium-smoking and Chinese burial customs; delving into the relationship between men and women; and sampling the delights of Chinese cuisine. He also...