Mrs van der Sprenkel was led to undertake this journey by her experiences while living in China. lt is a detailed sociological analysis of the whole complex of legal and quasi-legal institutions during the Manchu period. Using a wide range of source material, Mrs van der Sprenkel discusses both the concepts underlying and the actual working of government and administration in Manchu China, the nature of the law, judicial procedure, and, finally, the effectiveness of the law in supporting social order.