Wei Yuan 魏源 (1794–1857) is commonly regarded as a pivotal thinker of an early "Enlightenment" at the threshold of Chinese modernity. Yet, the precise definition and parameters of his "modernity" remain elusive. This is due in no small part to the fact that one of his most vital texts, titled Mogu 默觚, has never been thoroughly analysed. With Stille Notizen, Stefan Christ presents the first complete translation of this important source. Simultaneously, he critically interrogates the nature of Wei Yuan's modernity and the potential for enlightenment in early 19th-century China. He constructs a compelling portrait of a figure suspended between eras: Wei Yuan acutely perceives the fractures in the old order while simultaneously seeking refuge within it. He observes a changing and complex world that can no longer be traced back to a single unifying principle, yet turns to Confucian tradition to safeguard the state's central authority. He rigorously analyses the internal logic of politics and economics, but stops short of forging an entirely new conceptual vocabulary.