the Wisdom of Chairman Mao with the endorsement of Lin Biao

Quotation of Chairman Mao (毛主席语录 / Mao Zhu Xi Yu Lu), first edition, early issue, rare, printed and edited by the Central Intelligence Bureau of The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (中国人民解放军总政治部编印), 1964, 13,8 x 10 cm

White cover with black title in a red rectangle at the top and the editor at the bottom. This book, written in traditional Chinese characters comprises a half-title printed in red, title in red and green, photographic portrait of Chairman Mao, Lin Biao’s calligraphic endorsement of Mao’s writings, a preface dated of May 1964 (2p.), contents (2p.), and the text (pp.1-250).

In this early edition, there is a superfluous mark on the Lin Biao’s calligraphic endorsement leaf (the character 听) rectified in the third edition of August 1965. After Lin Biao’s disgrace, the endorsement leaf was removed in the following one’s or generally defaced in the previous editions, as a sign of loyalty to Mao.

The edition printed by the Central Intelligence Bureau of The Chinese People’s Liberation Army was only distributed to officers.
Very clean and complete copy, with slight reddish stains in the title page and some underlined phrases.

 

Letters from a French Jesuit in China – but not allowed in France.

Lewis Le Comte was a Jesuit who spent 10 years travelling throughout China, at a time when few foreigners were allowed in. He was an astronomer who was sent by Louis XIV to further relations with the East. For some reason the Chinese were very keen on the Jesuits, and allowed them more access than any other group had. 

In this fascinating account of his travels, he writes about various aspects of Chinese life – but curiously, the book was first published in English. This is because when it was first produced, in 1696, the Paris Parliament ordered the book burnt for being too pro-Chinese and not sympathetic enough to his French masters. Naturally the English promptly published!

This later edition from 1737 features several engravings, including a lovely frontispiece of Confucius.