Myriad perceptions through lenses : optical applications of glass

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911), optical devices equipped with glass lenses were brought to China by foreign diplomats, missionaries and merchants. Eyeglasses, magnification instruments, and telescopes received attention and interest from the Court and the intelligentsia.

Their functions and usages were documented in various texts. Applications of glass lenses not only unfolded new perspectives of understanding and broadened the boundaries of knowledge, but also served to establish channels for cultural exchange between China and other countries.