Victorians were fascinated by Japanese and Chinese culture. Much Victorian decor is patterned after Oriental artwork, from Japanese-style lacquered furniture to "Chinoiserie" motifs in architecture, dishware, furnishings and more (think "willow-ware!"). But while Victorians may have embraced Oriental design, they were not so accepting of Oriental peoples, who were often lampooned and caricatured in art and literature (particularly the Chinese). Many articles were written to inspire support for missionary work (particularly in China), and painted horrific views of these "pagan" societies. So, as always, we remind the reader not to expect political correctness. However, because travel to such countries was far from easy, those travelers who did visit the Far East tended to be genuinely interested in the culture they were exploring. This has resulted in many detailed, beautifully illustrated, and relatively balanced articles.

The Walls and Gates of Canton (Illustrated London Almanack, 1859)

Hong-Kong (Cassell's Family Paper, 1860)

How the Chinese Amuse Themselves, by Walter Medhurst (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1878)

A remarkably non-racist view of Chinese games and entertainments.

Chinese Whims and Ways, by Walter Medhurst (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1879)

Chinese and French (Girl's Own Paper, 1880)

Peculiarities of the Chinese (Girl's Own Paper, 1880)

The Sixth Year of Qwong See (Harper's Monthly, 1881A)

A look at Chinese New Year in Chinatown in the sixth year of the Emperor Qwong See (with an interesting explanation of how the Chinese calendar is calculated).

A Wedding in China, by A.H. Wall (Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

Chinese Schools (Demorest, 1882)

A Chinese Novel (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1882)

A look at The History of the Spirit of the White Adder, a novel popular in China at the time.

Girls' Work in the Mission Field, by Mary Selwood (Girl's Own Paper, 1882)

A look at life in India and China, and "how we favoured Englishwomen can help these poor unhappy sisters of ours" in each country.

The Imperial Revenue of China, by Sir Walter Medhurst (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1882)

Ningpo and the Buddhist Temples, by Constance F. Gordon Cumming (Century Magazine, 1882B)

Children of All Nations: China and Japan, by E.C. Phillips (Little Folks, 1883)

A Chinese Newspaper (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1884)

A look at the Peking Gazette.

The Chinese Theater, by Henry Burden McDowell (Century Magazine, 1885A)

This article looks at the Chinese Theater in China; see also our article on The Chinese Theater in San Francisco.

The Island Suburb of Foochow (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1885)

Chinese Queues (Demorest, 1888)

About Chinese Girls, by Mary L. Bryson (Quiver, 1889)

A Tinselled Death-Trap, by Alice Jane Muirhead (Quiver, 1889)

Opium dens in Shanghai.

A Walk Down a Chinese Street, by the Rev. W.T.A. Barber (Quiver, 1889)

In the Flowery Land (Pictorial Museum of Sport & Adventure, ca. 1890)

The Mind-Reading of the Chinese, by Horace B. Jones (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1890)

Chinese Music, by H.E. Krehbiel (Century Magazine, 1891A)

The Great Wall of China, by Romyn Hitchcock (Century Magazine, 1893A)

A Winter Ride to the Great Wall of China, by N.B. Dennys (Century Magazine, 1893A)

Caged in China, by Stanley Lane-Poole (English Illustrated Magazine, 1895A)

An account of the last known incident in which Europeans were encaged by the Chinese.

Chinese Mandarins and People, by Professor Douglas (English Illustrated Magazine, 1895A)

In the City of Canton, by Florence O'Driscoll (Century Magazine, 1895A)

How the Chinese work and live.

The Meaning of the Chinese Button, by Alfred J. Bamford (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1895)

Responsibility Among the Chinese, by C.M. Cady (Century Magazine, 1896A)