1924 Italian book about Shanghai published in China

Hundreds of people packed a function room at the Shanghai Library on Sunday for a lecture on old Shanghai by two Italian scholars.

Hundreds of people packed a function room at the Shanghai Library on Sunday for a lecture on old Shanghai by two Italian scholars.

The talk was given by Professor Giorgio Casacchia, who is a former Italian Ambassador to China, and Professor Stefano Piastra. They introduced a book that was written in 1924 by Ezzelino Magli, an Italian doctor who travelled to Shanghai by boat.

"A Gateway to China" focused on the lives of people in Shanghai, as well as the city's culture and religion at the time. The professors said the book is one of the most important documents of the city, and provides a unique view of old Shanghai.

The book was translated into Chinese for the first time this July, and was published as a limited edition.