Edward Kajdański: Unknow information on chinese natural resources in the writings of Michał Boym

Summary: Michał Boym, the Polish missionary, scientist and traveller, one of the pioniers of Europan sinology, is known above all as the author of the first in European publication on the nature of China issued in Viena in 1656 under the title Flora Sinensis. But Boym`s interest in China was more wide-ranging which is evidenced by his unpublished manuscripts. The author discusses three of such unpublished manuscripts from the point of view of the information they include on China`s mineral resources. Those manuscripts are: Atlas of China kept in the Vatican Library, manuscript Brevis Sinarum Imperii Descriptio from the archives of the Jesuit order (ARSI) and the manuscript Rerum Sinensium Compendiosa Descriptio to be found in the Paris Jesuit archives and being the descriptive part of one of China`s general maps draw up by Boym.

The article can be found at the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pvB1WVqCZAy6R0RpraqX8yioSN2vGu4K/view?usp=drive_web