Central to this publication is the question as to which porcelain reached the Netherlands in the 17th century and how it was esteemed.Following the publication of several Dutch-language books connected to various exhibitions, all contributors to this book have long wanted to step beyond this limited scope with an international publication that contributed to the global research field of Chinese ceramics. Thirteen authors, both within and outside the Netherlands, elucidate the different sides of this topic. Although it ultimately is the history of how it was received – what was valued and why – a broad range of viewpoints have been chosen in order to answer those two questions adequately.--