Jews and Judaism in Traditional China. A Comprehensive Bibliography

This wide ranging bibliography comprises primary and secondary works on native Chinese Jews in traditional China, most notably the Jewish community of Kaifeng. It also includes the early knowledge and writings by Chinese about Jews and Judaism, as well as the early writings by Jews about China. The author concentrates on primary sources and original contributions, giving subheadings and short annotations for the main items and indicating his judgement of their value.

“This volume is a milestone in the study of the Chinese Jews. D.D. Leslie in his annotated bibliography sums up the results and achievements of Chinese and Western scholarship from the first encounters in the 17th century right up to the present. ... This is an extremely useful book and a true summary of the sources about those few hundred Chinese Jewish families who lived in China for several centuries.”

Péter Vámos in Acta Orientalia (Hung.)

Preface - A Short History - A Short History of Sources - Archives and Libraries - Introduction

Part I: The Primary Topics and Sources:

A. The Kaifeng Community

1. Chinese Stelae and Inscriptions
2. Chinese-Hebrew Memorial Book
3. Hebrew Writings and Judaeo Persian
4. Artefacts
5. Letters from the Kaifeng Community
6. Letters to the Community
7. Kaifeng Jewish Informants

B. Chinese Native Sources:
1. Early Sources in Chinese
2. Relating to the Kaifeng Community

C. Western Jewish Links:
1. The Bible
2. Hebrew Manuscripts in China
3. Jewish Writers
4. Parallels with Jewish Communities Elsewhere

D. Foreign Reports:
1. Arab and Persian (851-1498)
2. Early European Visitors to China
3. Early Jesuits in China
4. Later Jesuit Visitors
5. European Interest
6. Visitors in the 19th Century
7. Early 20th Century Visitors
8. Visitors, Post-1949

Part II: Secondary Sources:

1. Bibliographies
2. Collections
3. Key Journals
4. Basic Works and Authors in Chronological Order 

Part III: Secondary works by Author:

1. Western Languages
2. Chinese
3. Japanese