The Chinese Empire Through the Eyes of the Scottish Physician and Adventurer John Bell (1691 – 1780)

The article examines the travelogue of John Bell — the Scottish doctor and adventurer who authored some of the earliest images of China produced by an English-language traveler in the 18th century. He served as the chief physician of the Russian embassy to China. Sent by Peter the Great in 1719, he was the first British person to spend time in the Chinese capital and produce a written account of it. His book, Travels from St. Petersburg in Russia to Diverse Parts of Asia, which covers a wide range of topics and provides ample information about Chinese life, achieved great popularity. Bell visited China during one of the empire’s flourishing periods, under the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1654 – 1722), whom some scholars consider one of China’s most successful emperors. The Scotsman challenges many of the prevailing clichés about China that were common in Britain and maintains a neutral and descriptive style, adhering to what he personally observed.