Forgotten Kingdom

Forgotten Kingdom by Peter Goullart is a vivid memoir of the author’s years in Lijiang, a remote city in China’s Yunnan province. Goullart records his experiences living and working among the Naxi people during the turbulent years from 1939 to 1948.

Through detailed observations, he introduces local merchants, artisans, religious figures, caravan traders, and residents whose traditions shaped this culturally rich community. His account explores daily life, ceremonies, beliefs, social customs, and the mixture of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, shamanism, and ancient Naxi spirituality.

Warm, curious, and descriptive, the book preserves a portrait of a place that was already beginning to change. This 1957 edition, published by Readers Union, is an appealing choice for readers interested in Chinese history, travel writing, cultural anthropology, Asian studies, and personal accounts of life in remote communities.

Includes 16 pages of images

Hardcover, Very Good. Missing dust jacket