China.- Murr (Christoph Gottlieb von) and Ignaz Koegler. Litterae patentes Imperatoris Sinarum Kang-Hi, first appearance in book format of the Red Manifesto, 2 plates at end, one a folding engraved plate reproducing the Red Manifesto of October 1716 in Chinese characters, the other a woodcut Linnaean classification of Chinese quadrupeds in Chinese characters, text largely in Latin but with a few Chinese characters, title lightly browned, contemporary limp vellum, preserved in cloth chemise and morocco-backed cloth slip-case, 4to, Nuremberg & Altdorf, Monath & Kussler, 1802.*** Rare. This is the first appearance in book format of the text of The Red Manifesto, a critically important Imperial edict issued in printed broadside format in Peking in 1716. The edition was compiled and partly written by the Nürnberg scholar Christoph Gottlieb von Murr, who had discovered the important commentary on the Manifesto by Ignaz Koegler. Von Murr includes Koegler's account of the activities of the Jesuits in China as well as general notes on the subject and a bibliography of Jesuit works published in China. In 1706, at the height of the Chinese Rites Controversy, the Kangxi Emperor appointed two Jesuit missionaries, Fathers Antonio de Barros and Antoine de Beauvollier, as his special envoys to Rome. Their mission ended tragically when their ship capsized within sight of the Portuguese coast. Not having any news from them, the Emperor appointed Fathers José Ramón Arxo and Giuseppe Provana, also Jesuit missionaries, as his representatives in Rome. Arxo and Provana left Macau in 1708. Arxo died in Spain in 1711 and Provana died in 1720 on the return voyage to China. Since no word of their deliberations came to the Emperor, he had this document, the Red Manifesto, or Hongpiao (??), written and all missionaries resident in Beijing sign it, and ordered it given to any Europeans who came to the capital. He states that he will not give credence to any documents regarding the Rites Controversy until his envoys return.Provenance: Silvestre de Sacy (1758-1838, renowned Orientalist, title inscribed "au Citoyen de Sacy" and verso of title inscribed ?in Sacy's hand "acq. chez J. Schlesinger"; Delombardy (at head of text later ownership inscription dated 1848).Literature: Cordier,Sinica, 638; Löwendahl, 718.