Three Years' Wanderings in the Northern Provinces of China Including a visit to the tea, silk, and cotton countries; with an account of the agriculture and horticulture of the Chinese, new plants, etc.

"Three Years' Wanderings in the Northern Provinces of China" by Robert Fortune is an adventurous tale of exploration that unveils 19th-century China through the eyes of a botanical collector. The author travels across the country, documenting regional plant life, farming methods, and cultural nuances while aiming to dispel exaggerated Western views of the time. Serving as a direct account of his experiences, the narrative captures both the unique beauty and complex realities of the Chinese landscape, offering firsthand insights into its people and their interactions with the natural world as he set out to provide a realistic view of China.