書中引用的11件文物如下: 〈明人畫狻猊圖〉 晚明，畫者不詳 Painting of a Suanni (Lion), Ming dynasty (1368-1644) 〈西旅貢獒圖〉宋代，錢選 Depiction of a Journey from the West with the Offering of a Mastiff 〈貢馬圖〉元代，任仁發 Depiction of Offering a Gift of Horses 〈職貢圖〉唐，閻立 Foreign Envoy with Tribute Bearers 〈明人瑞應圖卷〉明，畫者不詳 Auspicious Omens 〈無款貢象圖〉年代不詳，畫者不詳 " Tribute Elephant. "Anonymous 〈孔雀開屏圖〉清，郎世寧 Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers 〈坤輿全圖〉清，南懷仁 Great Universal Map Ferdinand Verbiest 〈額摩鳥圖〉清，楊大章 Cassowary Bird 〈職貢圖〉(局部)清，謝遂 Foreign Envoy with Tribute Bearers 北宋 汝窯 青瓷無紋水仙盆 Narcissus basin with bluish-green glaze Ru ware
