Life and sport in China Second Edition

About this book

Oliver G. Ready’s Life and Sport in China is a first‑hand account written after twelve years of residence in the empire, intended as a “pre‑face” to the more scholarly histories then appearing in the press. The book opens with a candid author’s note that frames the work as a “lighter side of narrative,” offering observations on how Europeans live, work, and amuse themselves amid the vast, often contradictory landscape of treaty‑port concessions, Chinese customs, and the daily realities of expatriate life. The opening chapters map out Anglo‑Chinese settlements, the mechanics of trade, and the social infrastructure of foreign enclaves, while a glossary of terms such as “bund,” “chit,” and “tael” equips readers with the linguistic tools needed to navigate the text.

Written in the early‑1900s, the prose reflects the Victorian travel‑ogue style, marked by detailed description, occasional moralizing, and a tone that oscillates between curiosity and the paternalism of its era. Its blend of cultural observation, practical details, and vivid illustrations will appeal to readers interested in colonial history, the sociology of expatriate communities, or the development of sport and leisure in a China that was just opening to the West.