This series of aquatints by the watercolourist William Alexander (1767-1816) was first published in 1805, with a second edition published nine years later. The book depicts various scenes of Chinese life witnessed by Alexander whilst serving as draughtsman for the embassy of George Macartney in 1793.

The embassy was an attempt by Britain to open up trade with China as trade had primarily been conducted at factories in Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton), with Chinese agents trading on behalf of European powers. Macartney's efforts failed to persuade the Emperor and the embassy was unsuccessful. However, the cultural impact of it was great. It occurred at a time when interest in Chinese art and culture was high in Britain and descriptions of this mysterious nation were highly prized.

This book, which was one of the later publications on China by Alexander, consists mainly of engravings taken from his official commission as draughtsman. They first appeared in the official account of the Embassy, published in 1794, and were repeated in later publications on the same subject. The work covers not only the general appearance of the various ethnic groups within China, but also includes detailed images of Chinese ships and urban landscapes, providing an interesting insight into late-eighteenth century perceptions of China and its population.