The History of Freemasons in China. The Great Architect for the Celestial Empire

"I have built a temple in Your dwelling, a place to abide with You forever" - the legends about the construction of Solomon's Temple largely shaped the Masons as an organization, forming the basis of their ethics and symbolism. When... Western Masons arrived in China in the 18th century and discovered that there were also legends about the "Great Architect" in the Celestial Empire, they believed that their ideas would easily take root in Asian soil. However, the outcome was unexpected... Professor Alexey Maslov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University, relying on unique archival materials, tells in detail about the two-century history of Western Masons in China and the "Masonry" that existed in the Celestial Empire long before their arrival.