Herbert Giles was one of the greatest scholars of Chinese culture and his overview of the origins of the religions and philosophical trends that have dominated China over the millennia is a ground-breaking piece of scholarship. Giles, who was for many years professor of Chinese at the University of Cambridge, also helped create the romanization system for the pronunciation of Mandarin in English (the Wade-Giles system). Giles discusses the pre-historical origins of religious thought in China, the origins and implications of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, and also reviews other religions that have impacted Chinese culture over the millennia.