Charles Downing provides one of the first detailed descriptions of life in China by a western visitor. In particular, his three volumes provide a unique portrait of how the indigenous Chinese population viewed foreigners working and living in their country - the Fan-qui of the title. Among the wide range of topics included are commerce, culture, agriculture, religion, medicine, smuggling, shipping and navigation, together with unique information on attitudes to, and business restrictions upon, the English, Americans, Mohammedans, Russians, French and Malays who made up the Fan-qui population. Written at a time that marked the beginnings of free trade, The Fan-qui in China is a remarkably intimate yet authoritative account of a key period in China's history. With a new introduction by Peter Perdue, Professor of History at Yale University, these rare volumes will be welcomed by all those interested in the history, commerce and culture of China and its relations with other countries.